Accidents are a major cause of death in most societies and approximately 90% of accidents involve human error. Two mutually exclusive philosophies of accident reduction by focusing on engineering solutions and automation to eliminate human error or by focusing on changing behaviour and attitudes are considered. The need for a complementary approach is emphasized. The problems associated with automation and the fact that it changes the role of the human from controller to monitor are discussed. The changing role of the car in society and the pressures associated with congestion, the environment and safety are discussed. The driving behaviour associated with accidents includes speed, close following, overtaking, violations and hazard perception. The importance of driver training is emphasized.
Samenvatting