HSRC News Briefs

UNC School of Journalism class partners with UNC Highway Safety Research Center

CHAPEL HILL — A public relations campaigns class within the UNC School of Journalism has partnered with the UNC Highway Safety Research Center (HSRC) to use the Center as a model client for mock public relations campaigns with emphasis on the National Center for Safe Routes to School (NCSRTS).

The class, instructed by Dr. Elizabeth Dougall, began working with the NCSRTS platform at the beginning of the spring 2007 semester. The goal of the class is to apply learned public relations techniques and fundamentals to the development and presentation of a public relations campaign and concepts, experiencing the feel of a real life agency-client situation. The concepts were designed to increase participation of school-aged children, parents, teachers and communities, in the Safe Routes to School program.

A total of four groups presented to representatives of the National Center for Safe Routes to School and the UNC Highway Safety Research Center in late April.

HSRC Web site posts 40 years of research reports

CHAPEL HILL — Beginning in June 2007, the public now has access for the first time to a bibliography of research reports published from 1967-1990, providing for public access to all of the Center's research reports from its earliest publications to its most current.

The HSRC Library provides access to traffic safety research information from the United States and around the world. Library collections reflect the focus of the Center's research and concentrate on human factors, civil engineering, and design of facilities for pedestrians, cyclists, and motor vehicles.

HSRC manages a searchable e-bibliography archive online, which covers research reports from 1990 to the present. With the addition of the 1967-1990 bibliography, the Center will boast nearly 1000 reports, with new additions made regularly.

The printable retrospective bibliography is located in the Research Library section of the HSRC Web site. To access the bibliography, go to http://www.hsrc.unc.edu/research_library/index.cfm

PBIC offers email alerts

CHAPEL HILL, NC — The Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (PBIC) has added an email alerts sign-up feature on its Web site at http://www.pedbikeinfo.org

By signing up for the feature, subscribers will receive periodic e-mails from the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center, including research updates, news releases, and the Center's electronic newsletter, the PBIC Messenger. To subscribe, please visit www.pedbikeinfo.org/signup

Since its inception in 1999, PBICs mission has been to improve the quality of life in communities through the increase of safe walking and bicycling as a viable means of transportation and physical activity.

The PBIC is maintained by the University of North Carolina Highway Safety Research Center with funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation Federal Highway Administration.