The role of the road user as the main cause of accidents is debated. It is suggested that the most driver training regimes are equally effective/ineffective and that publicity campaigns aimed at improving public understanding are ineffective. The investigation of the Ladbroke Grove rail disaster (UK) is used to demonstrate the operational and environmental factors that lead to driver error, and therefore the potential to reduce the risk of human error. Accident black spots are discussed, and the relevance of psychology to correcting unsafe highway design is outlined. Many road safety engineers have developed an intuitive understanding of how to deal with problem sites. The development of the mini roundabout by the Road Research Laboratory (now TRL Limited) is described. The rationale behind this was to increase road capacity but a reduction in injury accidents was also noted, which is attributed to a reduction in driver task load. Alternative solutions to the problem of unsignalised junctions in urban areas are suggested to show that there may be more than one answer to a problem. The potential for intelligent speed adaptation and telematics is discussed.
Samenvatting