The IUP Institute for Rural Health and Safety began in the early 1980s as the Highway Safety Center. The mission of the Institute for Rural Health and Safety is to bring together university personnel from various disciplines and professional backgrounds to assist the people of ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø and national and international organizations in solving problems related to highway traffic safety, while maintaining the values of good transportation.
Applying university resources toward traffic improvement, the Institute for Rural Health and Safety is a liaison between university personnel and state and local officials; business, industrial, and professional interests; and other groups and individuals.
The institute's program encompasses activity in five major areas:
- Research, surveys, and studies
- Education (teaching)
- Training and conferences
- Field and extension services
- Traffic safety communications and information exchange
Within these areas, the Institute for Rural Health and Safety offers the following:
- Increase awareness of traffic safety issues in ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø
- First-responder, emergency medical technician, paramedic, and CPR training
- Driver improvement programs for police officers, ambulance personnel, and the public
- Undergraduate and graduate courses in driver education
- Industrial fire brigade and emergency response team training
- Driver improvement programs for private fleets