| Although recent studies have been conducted on fatality statistics, needs assessment studies suggest that very few have focused on why intersection fatalities in a state in the southern United States are increasing and the ways to reduce such occurrences. Review of the literature suggests that traffic accidents are the leading cause of death, with 84 percent having occurred at an intersection. The prevalence and cost of intersection fatalities in the state have been underappreciated by the public, political leaders, and public safety officials. This study's purpose was thus to examine the ways of increasing the public's knowledge base or awareness level of the ways to reduce intersection fatalities, as well as exploring ways to enhance current driver-training programs and law-enforcement services regarding the importance of reducing intersection fatalities. The study's conceptual framework was based on risk-adaptation, risk-homeostasis, and branched-events-chain theories; while using a decision-oriented evaluative case study approach with 12 stakeholder participants. To facilitate the data collection and analysis process, a thematic analysis in combination with a context, input, process, and product framework, resulted in the emergence of nine themes: (a) access to information, (b), fallacies, (c) challenges and barriers, (d) value of driver-training programs, (e) law enforcement priorities, (f) preservation of life, (g) detailed driver training curriculum, (h) progressive law enforcement training, and (i) public involvement. A collaborative strategic logic model action plan was created to contribute to enhance ways to inform the public more effectively of intersection fatalities, change the target population and curriculum of local driver-training programs, and increase the training of public safety officers, while allocating the resources more effectively. |
