Abstract

The purpose of this study is to review the previous studies on the safety problems in Korea and to propose a psychological total safety system model. The model consisted of four agents; the government as the safety management agent, the suppliers of safety goods and services, consumer of safety goods and services, and civil movement institutions for safety. It was emphasized that the culture specific social representations of safety and accident have emerged in the course of rapid industrialization process in Korea during last 30 years. We delineated the social representations of the Korean people on safety and accident according to the model. A psychological analysis of drinking and driving behavior was performed as an application of the model. It was emphasized that safety psychologists have to develope and to apply the knowledge and the information from human engineering psychology and applied social psychology on safety and accidents.