| The commander of the California Highway Patrol Antelope Valley Office is facing a very serious management problem in the continually rising fatal motor vehicle accident rate in the Antelope Valley. Management's problem was exacerbated by having to cope with double-digit population growth in the valley while receiving no personnel increases or additional funding from the state. In helping management to understand the dynamics of this problem, this study has three purposes: presenting the commander with information on driving attitudes and behaviors and comparing responses between the public and law enforcement officers, presenting possible prevention and/or intervention programs for consideration, and establishing a basis for further study on this problem. The intent of this quantitative exploratory case study is not to determine any causal factors, but to present useful data and information for use by California Highway Patrol management in developing strategies in obviating motor vehicle accidents. The study also will demonstrate how prevention efforts must be through enforcement, engineering, education, and economy. |
