The approach adopted in traffic analysis is to look into the driver behaviour process for evidence of hazard, rather than to regard the accident record as an exclusive indication of roadway hazard. The authors view traffic conflict as a traffic situation which may or may not be the precondition associated with an accident. The object of conflict is defined in driver behaviour terms as successful avoidance of contact. The driver behaviour process is perceived to consist of two safety dimensions, one leading to accidents and one to conflicts. The latter, but not the former, can be observed. By defining conflict as successful avoidance of contact, accidents containing little or no information about the driving process information about the driving process may be overlooked. Both conflicts and accidents should therefore be analysed. The conclusions from a study made to apply this procedure are: (1) conflicts are evidently a valuable (and perhaps necessary) component of tripartite analysis to understand how poor operation of traffic at an intersection causes safety problems; (2) a number of problems were evident during the noonday period. Traffic control systems and signals are designed for peak periods and are inefficient at midday. Drivers get impatient and conflicts arise; (3) Conflicts record a different dimension of hazard than accidents.
Abstract