The Department of Psychological Sciences Presents

Dr. David Schwebel

University of Alabama at Birmingham

Why “Accidents” Are Not Accidental: Using Behavioral Science to Prevent Injury

You’ll learn about several research studies that use behavioral strategies to reduce “accidental” injuries. Many of the studies will focus on children’s injuries, and one tackles the challenge of distracted pedestrian behavior among college students. The studies were conducted both in the United States and abroad. Child injury prevention strategies focus on changing the behavior of both children and the adults who supervise them, often using technology like virtual reality to instigate change.

Dr. David Schwebel is Associate Dean for Research in the Sciences at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He has published over 180 peer-reviewed manuscripts, most focusing on understanding and preventing unintentional injury in children, adolescents, and young adults. From a prevention perspective, Dr. Schwebel has developed and implemented injury prevention techniques for a range of situations, including pedestrian safety training in virtual reality environments, school playground safety via behavioral strategies targeting teachers, drowning prevention through lifeguard training at public swimming pools, dog bite prevention in rural China and in the United States, and kerosene safety in low-income South Africa neighborhoods. Dr. Schwebel’s research has been funded by NIH, CDC, DOT, and several other federal, non-profit and industry groups.