Citation

Jones LE. Transp. Res. Rec. 1981; 793: 1-4.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1981, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) determined in early 1976 that no comprehensive and in-depth study program existed that would adequately address the highway-safety training needs of federal, state, and local transportation agencies. This paper discusses a contract undertaken between FHWA and Northwestern University to develop a program that would meet the immediate needs of transportation agencies for safety training and, beyond that, to develop training materials that could be used by educational institutions to increase the emphasis given to safety in their transportation curricula. Northwestern University developed an 11-week program aimed at providing concentrated graduate-level study in highway safety for engineers and safety managers who work in the area of highway safety and traffic engineering. The objectives of the program were to sensitize participants to their responsibilities for improving highway safety and to help them acquire knowledge of the latest technology available to effectively carry out their safety programs. This paper discusses the content of this unique program, the participants who have attended, the results of follow-up evaluations, the use being made of the materials by other schools, the plans for updating course materials, and the effectiveness of the program in meeting its intended objectives and at the same time helping to improve the working relationship between the educational community and FHWA.