Road safety has always been high on the political agenda of The Netherlands. The policy plans of recent years have increasingly expressed the idea of an integrated approach to road safety viewed from the perspective of traffic participants, vehicles, the road and how to organise these and bring them together in a coherent fashion. Focusing on the pre-crash phase to prevent road accidents is considered to be more effective than trying to improve the crash situation and the post-crash phase. a safer road infrastructure, the focus over the last two years has been directed more towards the options available for directly influencing the behaviour of road users. Consideration has been given to risk groups in traffic in general and to vulnerable road users in particular. The main underlying principle here is that all road users should have the necessary knowledge, skills and motivation to be able to participate safely in traffic. Another important principle is that strong and well-equipped road users have a responsibility towards vulnerable and less well-equipped road users, such as children, the elderly and the disabled. This principle is reflected in the legislation on liability, among other things, which holds the driver of a motorised vehicle primarily responsible in the event of an accident involving a vulnerable road user. The most vulnerable road users are vulnerable because of the nature of their vehicles (which offer little protection and are often technically defective), the nature of the road system (pedestrians, cyclists and mopeds are often well down on the priority list when it comes to design and regulations) and the nature of being a human being (with physical, psychological and social weaknesses). This physical vulnerability can be compensated for by protective equipment and adopting a crash avoiding strategy. This requires a certain level of psychological ability and social acumen. These factors encompass knowledge and understanding as well as attitude, the group dynamic and psychomotor skills. Not all of these factors are specifically connected to behaviour in traffic but the road is just an area where they are required. Important elements in this context are recognition of danger, a sense of danger and anticipation of danger in relation both to oneself and to others (knowledge and understanding), the risk of deliberate rule infringement, vehicle equipment, the use of alcohol or drugs, and taking other people into consideration (attitude) as well as control of the vehicle itself, particularly in complex situations (psychomotor skills). Besides current attempts to improve the quality of roads and vehicles, impose higher standards on the use of certain vehicles and improve feedback, it would also be possible to increase the level of psychological and social functioning through public information and education. It is important to make sure that this is closely linked to the situation as people perceive it and the capabilities of the novice road user and that when implemented the interventions should be incorporated into existing organisational structures wherever possible to increase the chances of success. To achieve this it will be necessary to set up a good framework for research on development and evaluation which can be used to steer efforts in the right direction. For the covering abstract see ITRD E136182.
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