The on-the-spot accident data collection study was developed to overcome a number of limitations encountered in earlier and current research. Most accident studies are entirely retrospective and do not record information relating to evidence existing at the crash site. The study involved two teams from the Vehicle Safety Research Centre at Loughborough University and TRL Limited, UK, working in close co-operation to produce a joint dataset. Protocols were developed to be consistent with recent international activities. Police in Nottinghamshire and the Thames Valley also took part in the study. The resulting accident databases have been built up over several years. The strength of the project is in having access to volatile scene data including transient highway factors and climatic conditions, which are particularly important for determining accident circumstances, especially when investigating vulnerable road user accidents. A further strength is the ability to interview witnesses at the scene, thus gaining an insight into behavioural characteristics, and how these may have been influenced by the transient factors. Annexes to the report give some information about the number and types of accidents attended. (Author/publisher)
Abstract