3029.0: Monday, November 13, 2000 - Board 1

Abstract #12544

Distance Learning: A New Tool For Community Traffic Safety Strategy

Rita Mistry, MPH1, Larry Cohen, MSW1, David Ragland, PhD, MPH2, and Leslie Mikkelsen, MPH1. (1) Prevention Institute, 1181 Colusa Avenue, Berkeley, CA 94707, (510) 528-4482, rita@preventioninstitute.org, (2) School of Public Health, University of California, 140 Warren Hall, Berkeley, CA 94720

Injury from motor collisions is the leading cause of death among U.S. citizens between ages 1 and 34. While injury from motor vehicles is a major burden in the population, and a significant cost to individuals, government and health care institutions, proportionally less effort is expended relative to other major public health concerns. There is a need for increased education and training for practitioners in the field of traffic safety, including local traffic management, planning, health, and public works personnel to foster effective local planning and policy development to reduce traffic injuries. Distance learning techniques use new technologies for providing communities with the tools and methods to apply the state-of-the-art in traffic safety to building safer communities.

This presentation will provide preliminary findings of survey results from 40 community based practitioners across California regarding: 1) priority traffic safety issues in their communities; 2) current strategies in traffic injury prevention; 3) constituencies most interested in and in need of distance learning to improve traffic safety practices; and 4) access to distance learning resources.

At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to: 1) identify the priority issues for traffic safety practitioners; 2) describe distance learning resources available to local traffic safety practitioners; and 3) apply best practices in distance learning to stimulate local traffic safety planning.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to: 1) identify the priority issues for traffic safety practitioners; 2) describe distance learning resources available to local traffic safety practitioners; and 3) apply best practices in distance learning to stimulate local traffic safety planning

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

The 128th Annual Meeting of APHA