This paper presents the results of a study into the changes in the road accident pattern in the municipality of The Hague (450.000 inhabitants) as a result of a strike by the drivers at the municipal transport undertaking (7 to 27 may inclusive 1981). The aim of the study was to find out in what manner and, to some extent, the degree to which the road accidents pattern can change when: a. The level of public transport services is reduced; b. A shift occurs in the modal split. A. A statistical analysis was made of the road accident figures for the period 7 to 27 may inclusive for the years 1978 to 1981 inclusive to see whether any shift had occurred in the road accident pattern during the period of the strike. Comparison of 1981 with 1978 to 1980 inclusive was the main issue. B. Few data are known on the change in the modal split during the strike. A very general picture of the change in the modal split can be obtained from the traffic counts of cars and of bicycles and mopeds prior to, during and after the strike at 19 locations in the municipality of The Hague. During the strike there was a very sharp increase in the number of bicycles and mopeds (44 per cent) and a less sharp increase in the number of cars (10 per cent) observed during the morning and evening rush hours. No general conclusions can be drawn regarding the effect of the change in the modal split on the change in the road accident pattern during the strike. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD abstract no. 264967. (Author/publisher).
Abstract