During the last several years, operational tests of collision notification systems in Washington State and Colorado have been completed, and second generation tests have been initiated in New York and Minnesota. The first commercially available system was introduced in 1996 by Ford Motor Corporation in their Lincoln Town Cars, followed quickly by the OnStar system offered by General Motors. The advent of these systems requires the private sector to interface with the public sector response community in new ways. This paper discusses the findings of a study conducted by The University of Kansas, focusing on the role of the public sector in system development and the key issues related to maximising the trauma reduction afforded by this new technology.
Abstract