Accidents — In-Depth Analysis; towards a method AIDA?

Abstract

In contrast with other modes of transportation, in-depth investigation of accidents is hardly applied in European road traffic safety research. In the USA and Canada, national boards play a dominant role in the investigation of accidents and have build a tradition in this field of research over the past 25 years. In The Netherlands each mode of transportation, except for road traffic, has its past performance in in-depth accident research also. Although this research has been historically focussed on the role of the operator, contaminating the research with the question of blame and reliability, it has inspired other researchers. In contrast with the traditionally statistics-oriented approach, the Dutch Road Safety Council conducted an in-depth investigation into a serious fog-related highway accident near Breda which occurred in November 1990. The research procedures which were used, were inspired by the approach of the Dutch Maritime Court procedures, which include a pre-investigation and a public hearing, and proved to be successful. A variety of research techniques proved to be beneficial and the application of a systems approach enabled the formulation of recommendations on a higher systems level. Instead of characterizing such fog-related highway accidents as rare or unique and an unexpected concurrence of circumstances, more structured accident patterns could be established. This case study may have laid the basis for a more methodological approach of in-depth road accident research.