The traffic climate of a country is characterised by the perception and evaluation of the interactions between road users. The aim of this study is to capture the traffic climate in Germany and to derive recommendations for a future application of the traffic climate scale from the results obtained. Since there are no suitable objective criteria for determining the traffic climate, the diagnosis of the traffic climate is based on the subjective statements of the road users. Within the framework of a monitoring of the traffic climate by the Federal Highway Research Institute, the results of the first measurement (basic measurement) are available. The basis for this study was a representative survey (N = 2,446) of 16-year-olds and older within the framework of standardised online and telephone interviews. In addition to questions about the traffic climate, questions were also asked about specific aggressive behaviours and the personal importance of the car. According to the results of this study, for Germany as a whole, the traffic climate is assessed neither particularly positively nor particularly negatively. Differences arise between different road user groups and between certain federal states and regions. Differences also arise when a separate evaluation of the traffic climate is made from the perspective of car drivers and cyclists. The behaviour of cyclists is assessed more negatively than that of car drivers. The perception of aggressive behaviour by other road users has a statistically significant influence on the traffic climate. The more pronounced this perception is, the more negatively the traffic climate is assessed. The present study provides a reliable, practicable instrument for recording the traffic climate, which is also suitable for use in future surveys. It is recommended that this instrument should also be considered in studies that focus on aspects of traffic culture and road safety culture. (Author/publisher)
Abstract