THE TEENAGER OF THE EIGHTIES AND ROAD SAFETY (SOUTH AFRICA)

The impact of technology developments and fuel conservation on teenage driving in the 1980's is considered. Road safety for teenagers is greater than in earlier decades, since improved vehicle design features and seat belt effectiveness increase an individual's chance of surviving a traffic accident. Tires of modern vehicles are of high quality, minimizing single-vehicle collisions resulting from burst tires. The modern car can decelerate and accelerate faster than previous cars because of lower mass, power-assisted brakes, better tire traction, and increased engine performance. Power-assisted steering, improved suspension, smaller vehicle sizes, and better tire traction have also improved maneuverability. Roads have become safer, with research and development in the construction of safe roads an ongoing process. Modern freeways feature safety designs such as breakdown lanes, merging lanes, crash barriers, elimination of sharp bends, illumination at night, bridges structured so that supports are far away from the road surface, breakaway poles on road signs and signals, and open areas for emergency escape routes. Speed is an important factor in collisions. Of the three major factors associated with accidents (vehicle, road, and road user), the human factor is the most important, being present in about 80% of all collisions. Future safe driving in South Africa is found to depend on a balance between improved driver education and increased alcohol consumption with higher vehicle ownership.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/00357391
• Corporate Authors:

  South African Road Safety Council

  NRSC Building, Beatrix Street, Private Bag 147X
  Pretoria 0001,   South Africa 
• Authors:
  • Luxton, P
• Publication Date: 1980-3

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 16-17
• Serial:
  • ROBOT
  • Issue Number: 109
  • Publisher: SNELCO-PRO PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANTS
  • ISSN: 0035-7391

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Crashes; Highway safety; Human factors; Teenage drivers
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00390742
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-029 993
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Nov 30 1984 12:00AM