Traffic (Safety) Culture of Alcohol Use: Cultural Patterns in the Light of Results of the SARTRE4 Study

Culture is put centre stage not only in contemporary social science, but also in safety research. In this paper the authors ask whether a safety culture exists in contemporary traffic systems across Europe and how it might look like by constructing a conceptual scheme of traffic safety culture with reference to Talcott Parsons‟ theory of social action. The authors refer to cultural patterns of alcohol use as alcohol is one of the most important safety issues alongside with speeding and fatigue. Culture is internalised by car drivers in terms of attitudes which organise motivational processes. Cognitive, emotional (cathectic) and evaluative attitudes can be distinguished. The authors apply this scheme to data that were collected in the course of the SARTRE4 survey in which attitudes and opinions concerning road safety and accident causation in 18 European countries were measured. Countries differ with reference to cognitive, emotional and moral dimensions. The results are organised in a comprehensive scheme of emotional and moral cultural orientations which is by far not complete, but which shall guide analysis in future research.

• 
• Corporate Authors:

  Institut Francais des Sciences et Technologies des Transports, de l'Aménagement et des Réseaux (IFSTTAR)

  14-20 bd Newton, Cité Descartes, Champs su Marne
  77447 Marne la Vallée,   France  Cedex 2
• Authors:
  • Schlembach, Christopher
  • Furian, Gerald
  • Brandstatter, Christian
• Conference:
  • Transport Research Arena (TRA) 5th Conference: Transport Solutions from Research to Deployment
  • Location: Paris , France
  • Date: 2014-4-14 to 2014-4-17
• Publication Date: 2014-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 8p
• Monograph Title: Transport Research Arena (TRA) 2014 Proceedings

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Alcohol use; Attitudes; Behavior; Cognition; Crash causes; Drivers; Human factors; Traffic safety
• Geographic Terms: Europe
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01531313
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: VTI, TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Jul 24 2014 3:21PM