Role of Public Health in Traffic Safety

During this session participants will be exposed to the current trends and research related to motorcycle injuries, pedestrian safety and driver inattention. The discussion will provide participants with current statistics and scientific literature to demonstrate the severity of traffic related deaths and injuries.

The scientific evidence will be used as background to frame the institute's content. In return, this information will be incorporated into skill building exercises to assist participants in creating effective evidence- based traffic safety programs.

This component of the course will also bridge the connection between public health and traffic safety in order for participants to understand how they are related. This will be demonstrated by reviewing the Public Health Approach and use traffic safety related examples.

The Public Health Traffic Safety Institute will provide a forum for multidisciplinary discourse, learning, and skill building (as it relates to program planning) amongst public health and traffic safety professionals. Training in traffic safety issues, in tandem with the basic development and in many cases the enhancement of program planning skills, will increase the potential for the Institute to influence the application of evidence based prevention strategies. Ultimately this initiative will help play a major role in strengthening linkages between public health and traffic safety.

Given the grave number of injuries and deaths due to road traffic crashes it is clear to understand this is certainly a major global public health, transportation, and economic concern. The Institute will provide participants with current statistics and scientific literature to demonstrate the severity of traffic related deaths and injuries.

Roadways are becoming more crowded and creating problems ranging from motorcycle injuries, pedestrian safety to driver inattention and these topics will be specifically addressed during the course. The scientific evidence from these aforementioned topics will be used as background to frame the institute's content. In return, this information will be incorporated into skill building exercises to assist participants in creating effective evidence- based traffic safety programs.

The Institute will focus on the use of logic models as a mechanism to improve program performance. Expert faculty with a strong background in promoting the use of the social capital framework to improve public health programming and in evaluation will incorporate logic models to strengthen program planning and evaluation skills.

Participants will be exposed to three types of logic models including boxes & arrows, lograme, and modular. Once a type is selected this process will be used so attendees can further develop their traffic safety program (addressing motorcycles, pedestrians or driver inattention). They will also be encouraged to treat their logic model like a living document noting that reconsideration or correction may need to occur throughout the process.

For the purposes of this institute and as the logic model methodology emphasizes, evaluation is concerned with identifying and measuring improvement, however defined. Noting that evaluation can be used to measure the program's assumptive theory, the program's intervention process and the program's results - all three will be considered. Participants will be provided with information and guided to select the method most appropriate for their intervention. There will also be an emphasis on distinguishing between program “outputs” and “outcomes”. Participants will understand that an “output” is not an indicator of program success and ways to measure success will be demonstrated. By participating in the logic model exercises it will help to foster good program planning and evaluation skills which will allow APHA and the PHTSI teams to better track progress, outcomes and accomplishments and better communicate successes in the future.

While laws and regulations are essential in reducing traffic related deaths and injuries awareness and enforcement is also critical. Reducing the number of lives lost on our roadways will also greatly depend on effective program planning and honing leadership skills as this course will incorporate. The course will reinforce that prevention efforts require a comprehensive approach to include professionals from the traffic safety and public health. Not only does this course provide an opportunity for leadership in this juncture between these disciplines but it also provides an opportunity to educate professionals and equip them with the necessary skills to effect change.

Fortunately automobile related deaths/injuries are preventable, through common public health approaches such as community education and other robust intervention efforts, which participants will be exposed to. In return this information and these skills will be implemented in various community settings, increasing awareness, and working towards the prevention of these unintentional injuries and fatalities. APHA working with NHTSA is prepared to address this overall concern and this institute will help to move this work forward, meanwhile improving public health science and practice.