preview

Solving the Road Safety Problem in United States

Decent Essays

In the United States alone, there are almost 11 million traffic accidents per year, leading to 36 million fatalities (United States Census Bureau, 2012). These numbers are even higher in developing nations, where nearly half of the world's registered vehicles are located but practically all (90%) of traffic accident fatalities occur (Toroyan, 2009). Most of these fatalities can be prevented via public policy measures, and policy is essential to improve road safety worldwide. Road safety must become a part of global public policy through means such as education, awareness, and public relations. To improve road safety, though, great amounts of resources are required for the improvement of roads and the safety of vehicles too. Resources are also necessary to bolster the laws related to traffic, and the enforcement of those laws. Issues like vehicle design must also be taken into consideration. Road safety therefore requires a complex and comprehensive public policy that includes extensive assessment, thorough implementation, multifaceted monitoring, and ongoing evaluation. Extensive assessment of each community's problems and needs is the first step towards improving road safety worldwide. Ogden (1996) points out that determining the solutions to road safety problems such as traffic fatalities requires first an assessment of the nature and dimensions of the road safety problem. Assessment begins first with an evaluation of the region's road conditions and the types of vehicles

Get Access