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Given the definition for traffic safety culture (proposed in the first chapter) as the shared beliefs of a group which affect behaviors related to traffic safety, this chapter provides practical guidance on ways to measure traffic safety culture, analyze collected data, and use the analysis to inform interventions. The proposed definition of “shared beliefs” used a behavioral model to inform specifically what beliefs may influence intentional behaviors involved with either reducing or improving traffic safety. This behavioral model provides a framework to guide measurement. Analyses include examining the prevalence of beliefs and behaviors, the relationships between beliefs and behaviors, and identifying “gaps” in beliefs that may be important to address in interventions. Finally, an example of a traffic safety culture program which includes a collecting of strategies working across the social ecology to improve traffic safety is introduced (in this case, seat belt use).

Our commitment to the goal of zero traffic fatalities and serious injuries requires consideration of innovative traffic safety thinking. There is growing recognition that this goal requires a change in our culture as it relates to traffic safety (traffic safety culture). And yet, there is no consensus about a definition for traffic safety culture, no explicit theory-based model to predict the effect of traffic safety culture, and no practical guidance for applying these models to develop effective culture-based strategies. This chapter seeks to address these omissions from both an academic and practitioner perspective.

This chapter proposes a standard definition of traffic safety culture based on a model that integrates relevant theories of willful and intentional behavior. Importantly, a set of 10 principles are identified that provide the context and foundation from which the definition and model are derived. An understanding of these principles provides the logic and purpose for developing strategies that can transform traffic safety culture:

• (1)

  Traffic crashes are a significant public health concern.

• (2)

  Most traffic crashes are caused by human behavior, not the roadway, vehicle, or environment (e.g., weather).

• (3)

  Human behavior is influenced by beliefs.

• (4)

  Beliefs develop based on experience (actual and vicarious) and socialization.

• (5)

  Socialization is the process whereby an individual develops beliefs which align with the culture of a group with which the individual identifies (social identity).

• (6)

  Individuals can form an identity with many different groups in their social environment, each with a different degree of bonding.

• (7)

  A stronger bond results in greater conformity and motivation to abide with the group culture.

• (8)

  The shared beliefs of a group that affect behaviors related to traffic safety are called traffic safety culture.

• (9)

  The traffic safety culture of a group emerges from actions taken by stakeholders across the social ecology.

• (10)

  Traffic safety culture strategies increase actions by stakeholders across the social ecology to improve traffic safety culture among various groups.

Traffic crashes are a significant public health concern.

Most traffic crashes are caused by human behavior, not the roadway, vehicle, or environment (e.g., weather).

Human behavior is influenced by beliefs.

Beliefs develop based on experience (actual and vicarious) and socialization.

Socialization is the process whereby an individual develops beliefs which align with the culture of a group with which the individual identifies (social identity).

Individuals can form an identity with many different groups in their social environment, each with a different degree of bonding.

A stronger bond results in greater conformity and motivation to abide with the group culture.

The shared beliefs of a group that affect behaviors related to traffic safety are called traffic safety culture.

The traffic safety culture of a group emerges from actions taken by stakeholders across the social ecology.

Traffic safety culture strategies increase actions by stakeholders across the social ecology to improve traffic safety culture among various groups.

For the academic, these principles can also serve as hypotheses that can be explored to expand our knowledge about traffic safety culture. For the practitioner, these principles represent the basic logic and impetus for transforming traffic safety culture. By effectively communicating these principles and their connecting logic, we can express the importance of traffic safety culture and the need for supporting resources with other stakeholders.

At what age should children and teenagers have access to certain subject materials and/or the adult collection in libraries? Parents, school teachers and administrators, organized and unorganized religious, politicians, and the judiciary are among those willing to expound on their firm conviction that certain materials and subjects are harmful to the young. There are also those who, although uncertain about the effect of certain materials and subjects, are willing to opt for restricting access for the young and to demand that librarians be responsible for policing such action. Librarians generally share these ambivalent feelings about library materials and access for children and young adults. Aware of the possible adverse reaction of adults if alleged controversial materials are placed either in the children's or the young adult collection, librarians often choose not to select such materials. A recent letter to American Libraries suggested that librarians place controversial children's or young adult material into adult collections only, thus avoiding confrontations with those adults concerned about “harmful” matter reaching minors. The writer stated that everyone would win; the material would be available, but objections based on access to the material by the young would be thwarted. The writer did not seem to anticipate problems in determining at what age the young person would be allowed access to the adult collection containing this material, nor was a method proposed for defining either controversial or noncontroversial material. However, the “way out” proposed is actually used by some public libraries in the U.S., although a cursory look at library problems over objections to library materials for the young reveals titles and subjects that would be classified as noncontroversial by many.