Accident study field work benefits college career
by LINDA CARROLL
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation sponsored an in-depth Accident Study Program conducted in the Department of Civil Engineering.
The University of Kentucky Multi-disciplinary Accident Study Team (UKMAST) studied accidents throughout the state of Kentucky involving vehicles of all types used for recreational purposes. The accidents were analyzed in order to identify contributing casual factors and to determine how safer recreational vehicle travel can be accomplished.
Three disciplines were involved in the accident investigation process: human factors, vehicle, and
environment. Seven go-team members, representing all three disciplines, were on call 24 hours a day to respond to state accidents.
Larry Downey, a senior civil engineering major was an environmental specialist for the team. Downey, who was in his second year of accident investigation at UK, gained experience at the University of Miami, Fla. during his sophomore year.
"I was very fortunate to be able to join the accident team here at UK," Downey said. "It just happened that UK was awarded a project the same time I transferred from Miami, so I was chosen due to my years experience."
Downey's tasks involved analyzing accident scenes to determine en-
vironmental conditions, such as wind, loose gravel, or dips in the road which could have contributed to the accidents. Environmental data was recorded and a scaled schematic of the accident scene were filed in the case reports.
"I use a 50 foot tape, roilometer, and lumber crayons to mark-up the roadway for collecting data to draw up the schematic," explained Downey. "It can get rather dangerous at times, especially when I'm in the middle of an Interstate highway with tractor-trailers whizzing by."
Downey planned to attend graduate school at the University of Miami, Fla., where he received research assistantship in Ocean Engineering, for fall of 1974. fff*
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