IMPLICATIONS OF NEW RISK MODELS FOR THE ANALYSIS OF TRAFFIC SAFETY AS WELL AS FOR OTHER TRAFFIC-RELATED PROBLEMS --ROAD USER BEHAVIOR. THEORY AND RESEARCH. PAPERS PRESENTED AT THE 2ND INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON ROAD SAFETY HELD IN GRONINGEN, NETHERLANDS, AUGUST 1987

New risk models are analysed with respect to their compatibility with action theories and their usefulness to help solving actual traffic related problems. The following assumptions can be derived from these models: (a) behaviour is an interaction between person(s) and their environment; (b) the degree of risk associated with any one behaviour depends on the relationship between objective risks and their subjective evaluation; (c) environmental influences do not only refer to the physical but also to the social environment; and (d) terms like expectancy, risk perception, accepted risk, motivation and norms, refer -at least indirectly -to the concept of values. The influence of values (as expressed by action theories) stresses the importance of non traffic specific variables for the behaviour of traffic participants. In order to obtain a complete point of view it seems necessary not only to concentrate on traffic safety problems but also to look at other risks caused by traffic, like damage to the ecology, and to urban and rural quality of life. This article explains how far the "risk homeostasis theory", and the "hierarchical risk model for traffic participants", meet the following requirements: (a) the ability to take the significance of values for traffic behaviour into account; and (b) the ability to cater for the behaviour of road users other than drivers, especially pedestrians and bicyclists. It is suggested that the concept of risk should not be limited solely to traffic safety, but should be extended to other negative consequences of traffic, which are socially or ecologically dangerous. Such an interpretation of the risk concept enables countermeasures to be planned which take into account the diversity of problems caused by traffic these days. For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 815404.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9023223691
• Corporate Authors:

  Van Ggorcum & Comp BV

  P.O. Box 43
  Assen,   Netherlands 
• Authors:
  • SCHMIDT, L
• Publication Date: 1988

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: p. 127-32
• Serial:
  • Publication of: VAN GORCUM & COMP BV
  • Publisher: Van Ggorcum & Comp BV

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air pollution; Attitudes; Behavior; Conferences; Decision making; Driving; Forecasting; Hazards; Mathematical models; Methodology; Motivation; Prevention; Probability; Psychology; Risk taking; Safety; Scale models; Structural models
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Data and Information Technology; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00481943
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL)
• ISBN: 90-232-2369-1
• Files: ITRD, TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 30 1989 12:00AM