The South African government road safety practitioners, in their desperation to alleviate trauma on the roads, commissioned UNIARC to conduct a study on motorists' understanding of daytime running lights use (DRLs). Durban, Pinetown and Pietermaritzburg Metropolitan Municipalities were chosen as areas of study. A random sample of 1050 motorists was interviewed, making use of questionnaires. The study objectives were to establish motorists' recognition of the effects of DRLs as a measure to reduce crashes, and effects on specific crashes. It was further focussed on determining motorists' support and compliance to DRL use if it were made law. The study established that motorists recognise the safety effects of daytime running lights as a measure to reduce accidents. An overwhelming reception was indicated by 69% of motorists, who reflect their willingness to drive with their lights on during the day if it was made law. Other findings indicate that DRLs use would have positive effects on specific crashes that involve unprotected road users like pedestrians and cyclists as well as intersection collisions. It was further established that motorists felt that the conspicuity of on coming vehicles would be improved, thus assisting to identify vehicles on the edges of the driver vision; making it easier for the driver to identify an object as a vehicle if it has lights on; and would assist in estimating how far away an on-coming vehicle is. This study therefore recommends that Regulation 161A under the Road Traffic Act be made mandatory to connect the DRLs to the ignition switch for them to automatically turn on, on starting a vehicle. This would assist to alleviate trauma on our roads. For the covering abstract see ITRD E135448.
Samenvatting