A survey was carried out at the beginning of the nineties to study and compare attitudes and reported behaviours of car drivers in Europe. Fifteen countries, 16 samples, 17 fields, 11 languages, 17 poll agencies, 16 research or similar institutes, more sponsors, 17430 final interviewees, and about 30 researchers, were involved in this project known under the name SARTRE (for Social Attitudes to Road Traffic Risk in Europe). Main publications from this project are expected in 1994. This incomplete inventory lists various vicissitudes encountered during this project. The European comparison was subject to frequent variation and redefinition, such as: (1) the geographical base (Greece, Luxembourg, Sardinia, Luxembourg, Sardinia, Atlantic or African parts); (2) political factors (Germany, Czechoslovakia, Ireland); (3) ways of defining a representative sample (quota or random), and the target population (minimum age and number); (4) the status of participants (TRL, VTI); (5) variation in the composition of survey interviewers teams; (6) partners: similar institutes, and Road Prevention (Portugal), University & ministry (Spain), private institute (Italy); (7) divergence in the members; psychologist, engineers, sociologist; differing approaches; policy counselling, fast answer to the customers, or scientific knowledge, quiet pace, exhaustive; differing status: civil servant or private; (8) timing: late participation, results in 2 steps; change quotas; change target population size; (9) achievement: need for corrections; (10) control: censure, refusal, forgetfulness; 2 levels of interviewer in Belgium, double agency in Austria; and (11) last but not least, in the regulations: blood alcohol content (BAC) level, speedlimit thresholds, kilometres/miles, seat-belt laws. From this experience, some recommendations will be drawn, concerning cross-cultural comparisons in Europe and the field of traffic safety.
Abstract