The scientists also hope to extend funding for another year to permit follow-up and to analyze results, Tolan says. Now we need to do these studies to get people to use the interventions and administrative protocols in the most effective ways. SafeUSA was formed to combine scientific research, programmatic efforts, public policy initiatives and community involvement to enhance public awareness and support injury prevention efforts. Its partners include public and private organizations working in diverse areas, including public safety, public health, transportation, law enforcement, education, medicine and research. By pulling these member organizations together, SafeUSA aims to draw from the strengths of each and minimize duplicated efforts.
Behavioral sciences have a lot to contribute in both areas.
However, several SafeUSA efforts are already under way. The alliance is developing a Corporate Partners program as well as community guidelines and a handbook that will provide prevention strategies, explain the attributes of effective prevention efforts and offer additional resources. Both resources provide information on safety issues in a variety of settings and provide resources for additional information.