To what extent can the values, attitudes, knowledge and skills of drivers' in the SADC countries be influenced?

To ensure that traffic safety activities in the SADC countries are optimised, these countries adopted a holistic integrated traffic management approach. To support the so called and well known 3E's approach (Engineering, Education and Enforcement), a fourth discipline, namely logistical support has been identified. To accommodate these four disciplines, a Traffic Management System (TMS) has been developed. The TMS is composed of three components, namely the physical component, the unit component and the management component. The management component functions on three levels, namely the road user level, the operational level and the analytical level. On the road user level road user units such as driver units, pedestrian units, parking units, etc. the road user have to manage himself/herself. The driver plays a prominent role in the TMS. It is therefore essential that the driver be provided with the necessary tools as part of a road users management model to control his or her activities to minimise collision risks. Such tools should include a set of values, knowledge on traffic safety issues, skills and attitudes. There is a specific relationship between driver behaviour and attitudes. Driver behaviour determines attitudes. In this region there is a desperate need to undertake a research project to identify those issues in the TMS which could have a direct negative influence on attitudes. At this stage it is speculated that cultural differences, socioeconomic issues, a lack of communication and understanding between drivers and the other role players could have a negative effect on traffic safety. Once traffic safety managers have been trained, it is believed they could play a major role in supporting the various Governments, road and traffic authorities to take steps to influence and change negative attitudes. From such a research project, it would be possible to develop driver tools within a road user management model to influence the actions and the behaviour of drivers in a positive way. (Author/publisher)