TeamExperience
Team Experience
For the pilot study, investigating teams will start with different levels of experience and their ability to complete the methodology will therefore vary. Four levels of team experience are therefore considered here: new, developing and experienced retrospective and experience on-scene teams. Discussions will be held with teams in the early stages of the Network activity to determine and agree each team’s appropriate level of experience going into the pilot study. Teams are expected to develop during the pilot study and to work towards reaching the experienced level for any future work beyond DaCoTA.
a) New Teams
Teams, who have sufficient personnel, facilities and equipment to undertake the pilot study activities, but have little or no experience at making in-depth investigations. There will be some access to a range of specialists in the areas of vehicle, road and human safety related factors, but these personnel may not be directly involved as investigators. Teams will be expected to establish the necessary infrastructure, including local agreements to do the work, acquire information and receive accident notifications, but these activities will be finalized in the months leading up to the start of the pilot study, planned in April 2012. Personnel will require training and support from the core DaCoTA team in order to conduct the pilot study. New teams are encouraged to work on-scene, but it is recognised that working retrospectively may be advantageous until necessary permissions, training and experience are in place. New teams are encouraged to progress on to achieve “Developing Team” status by the end of the pilot study.
b) Developing Teams
Teams, who have sufficient personnel, facilities and equipment to undertake the pilot study activities and some experience at making in-depth investigations. There will be some experience with field work to study road or vehicle factors or to interview people, but this may not have been carried out for in-depth accident investigations. There will be some access to a range of specialists in the areas of vehicle, road and human safety related factors, but these personnel may not all be directly involved as investigators. Teams will have some infrastructure in place, including local agreements to do the work, acquire information and receive accident notifications, but these activities may need to be finalized in the months leading up to the start of the pilot study, planned in April 2012. For some areas of the methodology, personnel will require training and support from the core DaCoTA team in order to conduct the pilot study. Developing teams must attempt to work on-scene, but it is recognised that only retrospective working may be possible for at least some case investigations. Developing teams are encouraged to build on existing skills and experience during the pilot study.
c) Experienced Retrospective Teams
Established in-depth accident investigation teams who work retrospectively. Teams with a full range of knowledge and experience gained over a continuous operating period of at least two years. Teams will have the well-established capability to be notified about accidents and to gather a broad range of data within around 5 days of the accident occurring. There will be at least 2 experienced team members who have investigated at least 50 in-depth accidents each. Teams will have agreements in place for access to all necessary police, hospital and other information required. Personnel will only require training for the purpose of gaining familiarization with DaCoTA project’s specific aims and procedures. While experienced teams are encouraged to work on-scene at all times, it is recognised that this may not be possible under some local circumstances.
d) Experienced On-Scene Teams
Established in-depth accident investigation teams who work on-scene. Teams with a full range of knowledge and experience gained over a continuous operating period of at least two years. Teams will have the well-established capability to be notified about accidents and to travel onto the scene within around 30 minutes of the accident occurring. There will be at least 2 experienced team members who have investigated at least 50 in-depth accidents each. Teams will have agreements in place for access to all necessary police, hospital and other information required. Personnel will only require training for the purpose of gaining familiarization with DaCoTA project’s specific aims and procedures. Only experienced on-scene teams have the capability to carry out the full investigation methodology in all accident investigations, as recommended by DaCOTA.