Motor Vehicle Safety
Introduction
- Brief Description of Motor Vehicle Safety Laws
Identification of Laws
- Legislative
- Constitutional
- Administrative
- Judicial
Relation of Laws to Public Health
- Health promotion
- Wellness and prevention
- Early detection and prompt treatment
- Disability limitation/ rehabilitation
Conclusion
- Federal/ State Law role in motor vehicle safety intervention
Abstract
Road accident is a public health issue just as domestic violence and criminal acts involving destruction of the quality and life is self. Therefore, public health participation in designing laws to counteract increasing road fatalities is significant. This paper examines how public health intervention can affect designing of federal and state motor vehicle laws.
Motor Vehicle Safety
Introduction
Brief Description of Motor Vehicle Safety Laws
Moto vehicle safety laws are administered and designed through the motor vehicle safety Act, which is a federal law that allows the government to provide directions for all state motor vehicle legislations. The specific public health concerns pertain towards high risk populations such as alcohol abusers; teenage drivers and pedestrians.
Identification of laws
A legislative intervention is a statutory law enacted by a governing body. Typically, safety belts and child safety booster seats became active through legislature designed to prevent road fatalities. Constitutional safety laws are standard legislatures across states within the country. For example, driving under the influence of alcohol is a standard legislature for all states in United States of America.
Administrative laws are those, which specify how motor vehicle licenses are dispensed which includes that a person must have a valid drivers’ license. They also must pass a written / road test as well as be legal residents in the society. Judicial aspect of the laws relates to how courts are to apply penalties for violation of legislations. These include tickets, suspension and cancellation of licenses.
Relation of Laws to Public Health
Legislature regarding the requirements for drivers’ license can be considered health promotion for drivers, passengers and pedestrians. If the individual has violated any legislature then that person’s license would cancelled or suspended. This can be extended towards wellness and prevention also. The judicial arm of the laws executes penalties with the added legislature that every vehicle must have insurance in case of an accident.
Insurance coverage allows early detection and prompt treatment if drivers and passengers encounter an accident. Teenagers and alcohol abusers are classified high risk populations. Hence, legislature makes sure that they pay more insurance than drivers with a clean record. Disability limitation/ rehabilitation are also mechanisms considered under the insurance administrative aspect of the law. Passengers, pedestrians and drivers injured in an accident are provided support coverage through insurances and lawyers intervening to help when disability occurs and through a rehabilitation process.
Conclusion
Federal/ State Law role in motor vehicle safety intervention
Federal and state law already is playing a major necessary role in motor vehicle safety intervention. Statistics have shown from the case study provided that enactment of laws has greatly reduced the incidence of road accidents across America since 1925 when the number of vehicles increased by 90% while road fatalities went up 60% (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1998).
Therefore, as a public health consultant in my opinion it is imperative that federal and state legislature to continue providing the framework for road safety across the nation. For example, public health agencies; transportation, insurance companies, legal professions and licenses issuing agencies form the administrative process of the law. However, despite their concern they do not have the power to enact legislation except through petitions. These petitions can be overruled by the powerful. In this case the powerful are federal and state. Thus their role in the motor vehicle safety law designing and execution is vital at this stage and all the time.
References
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (1998). Traffic safety facts 1997. Washington,
D.C.: Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic.
