The fundamental dilemma in adventure programming is eliminating unreasonable risks to participants without also reducing levels of excitement, challenge, and stress. Most accidents are caused by a combination of unsafe conditions, unsafe acts, and error judgments. The best and only way to minimize critical human error in adventure programs is…

Of 25 western countries under consideration in 1975, Canada had the worst accident record for female children and the second worst for male children. In response to this problem, the present report assembles data to present a clearer picture of the extent of the problem and begins an analysis of potential accident events as a preliminary step to…

Discusses the 1997 collapse of a balcony on a historic building at the University of Virginia, which resulted in a death and several injuries. Explores the balcony structure and cause of the collapse, any possibly preventative measures, and the resolution of legal proceedings resulting from the collapse. (EV)

A number of flight accidents in recent years have made the use of helicopters in news coverage controversial. Radio or television reporters are sometimes asked to fly under unsafe conditions simply because competing stations have sent up their reporters. Although pilots have the right to refuse to fly if they feel conditions are dubious, they too…

Part of a larger research program studying communication in the cockpit, this study investigated the occurrence of mitigation, that is, the use of linguistic forms that convey propositional content without giving offense, and its relationship to aviation accidents. The data were from flight-recorder accident transcripts containing observable…

A study of the problems posed by the use of natural language in various aspects of aviation is presented. The study, part of a larger investigation of the feasibility of voice input/output interfaces for communication in aviation, looks at representative real examples of accidents and near misses resulting from language confusions and omissions.…

Outdoor leaders and those involved in personal outdoor adventure pursuits must be knowledgeable in the assessment, treatment, and prevention of musculoskeletal injuries in the backcountry. In the wilderness medicine setting, extended time periods of patient care, rugged terrain, severe environmental conditions, and limited resources create…

Any outdoor educator knows about rules. Outdoor educators spend a considerable amount of time at conferences talking about them: risk management plans, accepted safety practices, and first aid protocols. You name it, they've got a rule. When a Buddhist friend asked if rules really made programs safer, the author's first response was yes. His…

This paper discusses subjective hazards in wilderness activities and suggests means of assessing and managing related risks. Wilderness educators conveniently group hazards into objective and subjective ones. Objective hazards such as rockfall, moving water, and weather, while not necessarily predictable, are visible and understandable. Subjective…

This paper begins by noting that recent efforts in the United States to reduce the incidence of alcohol-impaired driving have not been very effective and suggests that for efforts to be effective, they must raise the actual risk of punishment to a level that cannot be ignored by potential offenders. It then describes an effective system of…

From observations during an investigation of children's behaviors on school buses, two general points seem important. First, current selection and training procedures for bus drivers generally ignore issues of pupil management. Second, focusing on pupil management issues in the selection, training, and supervision of drivers can have a number of…

The attribution of responsibility literature may suffer from the lack of an appropriate conceptual basis. Although past research has demonstrated the usefulness of Heider's levels of responsibility framework, one facet of Heider's theory that has received little attention is the justification level. Occupational role constraints and severity of…

Describes the phase in a graduated driver-licensing system that includes the provisional license, which allows young people to drive under certain restrictions. Discusses how the licensing system has emerged as an important factor in reducing crash rates among teenage drivers. (Contains 1 table, 2 figures, and 18 references.) (WFA)

Explores two key features of the intermediate phase of a comprehensive graduated driver-licensing program: nighttime driving restrictions and passenger restrictions. Reveals that nighttime driving restrictions have been shown to effectively reduce the number and rate of crashes of teenage drivers. (Contains 5 tables and 19 references.) (AUTHOR/WFA)

Review of graduated driver-licensing (GDL) programs in six states. Concludes that GDL programs are effective in reducing the crash risk of teenage drivers and that the impact of these studies and others to come will guide future research, practice, and policy. (Contains 2 tables and 19 references.) (AUTHOR/WFA)