This report surveys some major multidisciplinary studies carried out in the U.S.A., U.K., Australia and South Africa; advantages and disadvantages of the methodology are discussed. The present accident investigation situation in Israel is reviewed and criteria for establishing a multidisciplinary team in Israel are given and include: a team comprised of at least three members set up under the auspices of a university or research centre, an expected budget outlay of 4 million shekel, and an expected 2-2.5 million shekel for each additional year; the use of an in-depth method for accident investigation as opposed to an immediate on-site method; the selection of a predetermined subset of accidents in a specific area of research. The report furthermore recommends that other methods for investigation and data collection should be considered, to ensure that no better, more cost effective methods exist for investigating a specific research interest. It is also recommended that the current Road Safety Centre project on the in-depth investigation of mechanical aspects of accident involved vehicles serve as a pilot study to assess the feasibility of establishing a multidisciplinary investigation team in Israel. (A)
Abstract