THE HUMAN FACTOR IN ROAD SAFETY-PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF HEAVY-VEHICLE DRIVERS

THE AIM OF THIS PROJECT WAS TO INVESTIGATE THE INFLUENCE OF CERTAIN PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PSYCHOLOGICAL CHARACTERISTICS ON DRIVING PROFICIENCY, AND TO ESTABLISH WHETHER ANY DIFFERENCES EXITS BETWEEN EUROPEAN AND BANTU HEAVY VEHICLE DRIVERS WITH REGARD TO THESE CHARACTERISTICS. AFTER THE COMPLETION OF A DESCRIPTIVE SURVEY OF EUROPEAN AND BANTU HEAVY VEHICLE DRIVERS ON THE WITHWATERSRAND, A SAMPLE OF 70 DRIVERS (35 PAIRS OF ONE WHITE AND ONE BANTU DRIVER EACH) WERE SELECTED. THESE PAIRS WERE MATCHED IN TERMS OF CHARACTERISTICS WHICH COULD POSSIBLY INFLUENCE DRIVING PROFICIENCY, E.G. AGE, DRIVING EXPERIENCE AND EDUCATIONAL STANDARD. AS A CRITERION FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF DRIVING PROFICIENCY DURING THE EXPERIMENTAL STAGE OF THE INVESTIGATION, A TEST DRIVE OF HEAVY VEHICLES OVER A DISTANCE OF 3,22 KM WAS ARRANGED. DURING THE PSYCHOMETRIC TESTING, EACH OF THE 70 DRIVERS WAS SUBJECTED TO EIGHT HOURS OF INDIVIDUAL TESTING, AND MEASUREMENTS WERE MADE OF 46 VARIABLES OF WHICH SIX WERE ANALYZED AS CRITERIA AND 40 AS PREDICTORS. SOME OF THE MAIN FINDINGS OF THIS INVESTIGATION SHOWED THAT BANTU DRIVERS WERE INVOLVED IN SIGNIFICANTLY MORE ACCIDENTS, AND EUROPEAN DRIVERS GAVE SIGNIFICANTLY MORE CORRECT ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS ON ROAD REGULATIONS. ALSO THE BANTU GROUP HAD SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER RESULTS ON A TEST MEASURING VISUAL ACUITY. WITH REGARD TO DRIVING PROFICIENCY, THE BANTU GROUP PERFORMED SIGNIFICANTLY BETTER IN ROUTINE AND MECHANICAL ASPECTS OF DRIVING WHILE THE EUROPEAN GROUP DID BETTER IN ADVANCED PLANNING, ASSESSMENT AND JUDGEMENT. /TRRL/

• Corporate Authors:

  Nas Inst Vir Personeelnav Wetewsk

  ,    
• Authors:
  • Vandernest, M D
• Publication Date: 1972-1

Media Info

• Features: References; Tables;
• Pagination: 83 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Age; Drivers; Heavy vehicles; Highway safety; Human factors; Knowledge; Motor skills; Physiological aspects; Psychological aspects; Testing; Visual perception
• Uncontrolled Terms: Experience
• Old TRIS Terms: Driver investigation
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00224693
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: Pers 160 R&d Rept
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 16 1974 12:00AM