road safety and road user behaviour focusing on human factors to improve road safety may 14th 2012,...

May 14th 2012, Malaysia

Road safety and road user behaviour

Focusing on human factors to improve road safety

Overview

• Introduction

• Theoretical Framework

• Lessons learned

• Conclusions

Dr. Maura Houtenbos Road safety and road user behaviour 2

Introduction

• Objective

• Context– Enforcement– Motorbikes (& helmet use)– Alcohol– Speed


Theoretical Framework

Sustainable Safety & Human Factors


Theoretical Framework

Crash causes


Human: 63-95%

Vehicle: 4-25%

Infrastructure: 12-46%

Proactive system approach(after Reason, 1990)


System design

Quality control

Psychological precursors for unsafe actions Actions during

traffic participation

Defence mechanisms

Latent errors

CRASH

Unsafe actions


Reasons for unsafe actionsand conformity

Behaviour Cause of violation Cause of conformity

Intentional

Perceived costs < benefits • Feeling of comfort• Incredible rules • Indifferent environment

• Normative viewpoint

• Perceived costs > benefits

• Fear of punishment

Unintentional

• Imitating incorrect behaviour of others

• Incorrect habits

System invites correct behaviour

• Road layout• Vehicle• Behaviour of others

• Road layout and vehicle provoke incorrect behaviour

• Error

Source: SWOV Fact sheet Penalties in traffic


Task capability model (Fuller, 2005; Vlakveld 2001)

Calibration

Calibration

Competenties (C)Competences

EducationExperience

Personal characteristics

Attitudes Insight

Skills

Task capability

Task demandsRoad

Other road users

Vehicle

(Weather) situation

Task capability

Physical conditions

Illness

Fatigue Psychoactive

substances

Distraction

Psychological conditions

Stress

Lessons Learned: Enforcement & penalties

Issue: • Human behaviour largest cause of

crashes

"Solution":• Enforcement & penalties

N.B:• Proactive approach


Source: SWOV Fact sheet Penalties in traffic


Mechanism of police enforcement

Source: Wegman, F. & Aarts, L. (red.) (2006). Advancing Sustainable Safety; National Road Safety Outlook for 2005-2020. SWOV, Leidschendam (Figure

8.1 ).


Lessons Learned: Speeding

Issue: • Speeding

"Solution":• Reduce speed limit

N.B:• Credibility

Source: SWOV Fact sheet Speed cameras: how they work and what effect they have


Poll


Safe and credible speed management

1. Safe speeds and safe

speed limits

2. Credible speed limits

3. Informing drivers

4. Enforcement

5. Dynamic speed limits &

ISA

Both 50 kph. Both safe?

Both credible?

Source: SWOV Fact sheet Towards credible speed limits & Measures for speed management


Predictable roads and traffic behaviour as basis for safe traffic

• Preventing errors by:– Recognizable situations:

consistency in road design– Predictable road course:

continuity in road design

• Anticipated result:– More routine traffic behaviour:

fewer errors – More predictable behaviour of

other road users

Through road

Distributor road

Access road


Credibility features

• Accelerators:– Open road environment– Wide road– Straight road stretches– High quality road surface

• Decelerators:– Dense road environment– Narrow roads– Short road stretches– Physical speed reducers– Low quality road surface

Source: SWOV Fact sheet Towards credible speed limits


Lessons Learned: Speeding

Issue: • Speeding

"Solution":• Lower average speed driven

N.B:• Greater speed differences could cancel

out safety effects!

Source: SWOV Fact sheet The relation between speed and crashes

Lessons Learned: Alcohol

Issue: • Drunk driving

"Solution":• Higher penalties

N.B:• Effectiveness


Source: SWOV Fact sheet Driving under the influence of alcohol & Penalties in traffic

Lessons Learned: Enforcement

Issue: • Weak enforcement

"Solution":• Increase enforcement

N.B:• Effectiveness ↑ when…


Source: SWOV Fact sheet Police enforcement and driving speed

Lessons Learned: Enforcement

N.B:• Effectiveness ↑ when…

– Location with speed related problem– Average speed checks– Clearly visible– Purpose (road safety) = clear


Source: SWOV Fact sheet Police enforcement and driving speed

Lessons Learned: Campaigns

Issue: • Road safety affects entire population

"Solution":• Campaigns that target entire population

N.B:• Target specific groups Effectiveness↑


Source: Hoekstra, T & Wegman, FCM (2011). Improving the effectiveness of road safety campaigns: current and new practices. IATSS Research, 34(2), 80-86

Lessons Learned: Campaigns

Issue: • Road users’ behaviour

"Solution":• Education

N.B:• Road users are not rational!


Source: Hoekstra, T & Wegman, FCM (2011). Improving the effectiveness of road safety campaigns: current and new practices. IATSS Research, 34(2), 80-86

Lessons Learned: Young novice drivers

Issue: • Lack of experience

"Solution":• Extra training

N.B:• More inclined to drive in dangerous

conditions!


Source: SWOV Fact sheet Post-licence training for novice drivers


Lessons Learned: Motorcyclists

Issue: • High risk for motorcyclists

"Solution":• Use car instead

N.B: Measures• Visibility & conspicuousness• Extra training (motorcyclist & car driver!)• Road environment• Protective clothing

Source: SWOV Fact sheet Motorcyclists


Lessons Learned: Motorcyclists & Moped riders

Issue: • Head injury

"Solution":• Helmets

N.B:• Wearing

Source: SWOV Fact sheet Motorcycle and moped helmets


Conclusions

The solution to road safety issues:

• are not simple!

• require taking human factors into account

• require a proactive approach

• require combined efforts


More information: www.swov.nl

• Factsheets– Up to date information on road safety topics

• Publications– Reports on SWOV road safety research

• Library– Netherlands’ largest road safety research catalog

• Newsletter– Subscribe online (or leave me your business card)

• Contact: [email protected]

http://www.swov.nl/

mailto:[email protected]

road safety and road user behaviour focusing on human factors to improve road safety may 14th 2012,...

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