Perceptions of drivers and pedestrians priority rules at pedestrian crossings and its impact on pedestrian safety on NSW roads and recommendation to increase pedestrian safety
Hatfield, J & Soames Job, R. F. (2004) in a research study on perceptions of drivers and pedestrian crossing has recommended that it is necessary to have campaigns to educate pedestrians to be cautious even at pedestrian crossings where the sign says walk, as well to educate drivers to be cautious for pedestrians crossing at pedestrian crossings when turning right or left. In addition, he pedestrian crossing campaigns must deter people crossing at pedestrian crossing where the sign says don't walk and must target young people because the research has shown that the young have more propensity to cross at pedestrian crossings when the sign says don't walk or stop sign. This study also has suggested considering the rationale for paved crossings and the campaigns addressing priority rules need not address pedestrians and drivers separately. As well, the campaigns must clarify the pedestrian right of way at several situations such as a pedestrian crossing on a flashing “ Don't walk”, traffic initially traveling parallel facing a green light signal turning left, a pedestrian waiting at a pedestrian crossing, a pedestrian crossing at a pedestrian refuge. In the view of the researchers of this report it is essential these measures are considered to increase pedestrian safety on NSW roads.
In the web site "HSC on line" sponsored by Charles Strut University and NSW Department of Education and Training in an article "Road Traffic and Injuries - Risk factors highlights that 67% of crashed are caused by human factors, 4% are caused by vehicle factors, 4% of crashed are caused by environmental factors and 95% of crashes are caused by a combination of human factors with other factors and there fore they are preventable by appropriate road safety strategies, which change the behavior of drivers of all groups and pedestrians. That is resources must be allocated to develop strategies and countermeasures, which change the behavior, attitudes and perceptions of all drivers is necessary to reduce accident rate in NSW roads. Understanding the psychological, social economic and demographic factors and genetic factors and impact of technology on behavior by research in to these areas to understand how these variables are related so that to develop targeted effective plans and strategies to develop counter measures to reduce human error to a minimum, given the resource limitations and other constrains.
Education, Publicity and Training in Road Safety - Literature Review
Henderson. M (1991) in his report after reviewing the literature on education, publicity and training in road safety he has highlighted that the success of traffic education and publicity program not only have an objective of reducing the traffic accident but also on the basis of achieving the educational objectives of improving the safer behavior by road users by selecting a safe environment of all road users. In addition, he has highlighted after reviewing the literature that the success of media campaigns and public education can only be successful only when police enforces the traffic laws. For example new traffic laws even they are enforced they may be violated if media campaigns and public education programs are neglected. He has highlighted even children are not heavy users of the road they are vulnerable group and the literature shows their behavior can be changed by educational program as opposed to older people where environmental changes are more effective for road safety programs for this group. That is the traffic safety education must consider special groups because these programs in terms of traffic safety outcomes do not affect some groups. Literature review by this writer also indicated that the driver training programs not only improve driving skills but also incorporate in their training judgment skills, car perception skills as well stricter enforcement of traffic laws by police and penalize bad driving behavior. As well, this writer also has commented about the need to develop cost-effective publicity programs as these are very costly exercises and have different ways of accomplishing this program and must choose the cost effective program.
Road Traffic fatalities and injuries in NSW from 2001- 2005 in behavioral terms
The above statistics shows the complex nature of accidents and the combination of factors can cause accident on NSW roads and one factor alone do not explain fully why humans make error in their judgment and portray in appropriate risky behavior. In this context SHELL model can show how hardware soft ware and environment can affect human behavior and intentions positively or negatively and produce risky behavior as well show how one can one use hardware and software through research and can develop targeted effective countermeasures or evaluate existing measures to refine it to become more effective in a comprehensive manner as discussed above.
