What Theories Exist Now?
Some rules and principles do exist now for the accident investigator. However, they are fragmented, occasionally contradictory, often privately communicated, usually not scientifically tested, and sometimes wholly without merit. Their systematic organization has not yet been achieved. When this organization is accomplished, the contradictions and fallacious assumptions will become evident, and gaps can be remedied. A brief review of some of the most influential historical assumptions, principles and rules discloses the present state of accident theory. The statistical work of Greenwood and Woods in 1919[4] and Newbold[5] suggested the “accident proneness” concept. Their work still influences some accident investigation, particularly in the police accident investigation field with its focus on license revocation or suspension proceedings which reflect this concept. Investigators still look for data in accidents that will support the idea that “conditions” such as attitudes, attentivenes
