Danger for more road safety ? In this article the relation between risk perception and actual speed on 80 km/h regional roads is examined. The problem definition is: ‘Does insight in the risk perception of motorists offer opportunities for improving road safety policy?’. To answer this question, a literature study has been done, based on which a model has been built. In the model, perceived risk is compared to actual speed and actual risk on the regional roads concerned and claimed speed (from questionnaires). By means of this model, a questionnaire has been established. Context variables education/training, experience, person characteristics, travel motive and car have been used to analyse the outcomes. It is found that the claimed speed is lower on the roads where perceived risk is higher. Secondly, it has been found that the skewness of the (actual) speed distribution on a road corresponds best to the claimed speed. Thirdly, it has been found that the skewness of the speed distribution shows a clear relation with perceived risk. This means that perceived risk could be measured by means of the skewness of the speed distribution. The context variables appeared virtually no make difference in the relations between the dependent variables. The model results enable two conclusions. Firstly, based on the analysis of perceived risk, actual speed, and claimed speed on regional roads, dedicated policy can be implemented to make roads safer. Secondly, insight in risk perception enables insight in the road ‘surrounding characteristics’. These surrounding characteristics can be used to optimise the risk perception. (Author/publisher)
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