HIGHWAY safety-an important problem in the truck and bus industries - is governed by many factors, one of the most important being the human element. This paper describes the Harvard School of Public Health research program concerning the human factor in vehicle design and operation.
The project is Sponsored by the Commission on Accidental Trauma of the Armed Forces Epidemiological Board, Department of Defense; the National Association of Automotive Mutual Insurance Companies; the American Trucking Associations, Inc.; and the National Association of Motor Bus Operators.
Some items of this investigation include the study of near accidents; detection of the accident repeater; personal adjustment and morale of drivers; human body size and capabilities with relation to controls, instruments, seats, and vision; the effects of temperature, ventilation, noise, and vibration; and desirable safety features to protect the operator if an accident occurs.