Driver perception of non-motorised transport users: A risk in traffic?

Abstract

As part of an ongoing effort to explore driver behaviour in South Africa, this research investigates non-motorised transport users as an element of risk in the driving environment from a driver perspective. This research made use of a small sample of previously collected naturalistic driving data (NDD) that allows for the investigation and examination of detailed driver actions at a high granularity (microsecond) level. The results of the study show that drivers do not seem to acknowledge vulnerable road users (VRUs), including pedestrians, road workers, and cyclists in their immediate environment the assumption being that the reason for this is the fact that NMT and VRUs are part of the everyday normal driving environment. This paper concludes with an application of the research findings as input into the Road Traffic Safety Management System (RTSMS) in support of the Safe System to design and implement alternative interventions in support of reducing the crashes on South African roads.