Abstract
To “put oneself in the place of other road users” may improve understanding of the global traffic situation. It should be useful enabling drivers to anticipate and detect obstacles in time to prevent accidents to other road users, especially those most vulnerable. We created a pioneering Hazard Perception and Prediction test to explore this skill in different road users (pedestrians, cyclists and drivers), with videos recorded in naturalistic scenarios: walking, riding a bicycle and driving a car. There were 79 participants (30 pedestrians, 14 cyclists, 13 novice drivers and 22 experienced drivers). Sixty videos of hazardous traffic situations were presented, divided into 2 blocks of 30 videos each: 10 walking, 10 riding a bicycle, 10 driving a car. In each situation presented, we evaluated the performance of the participants carrying out the task of predicting the hazard and estimating the risk. In the second block, after they had carried out the task, we gave them feedback on their performance and let them see the whole video (i.e., checking what happened next). The results showed that the holistic test had acceptable psychometric properties (Cronbach’s alpha = .846). The test was able to discriminate between the different conditions manipulated: a) between traffic hazards recorded from different perspectives: walking, riding a bicycle and driving a car; b) between participants with different user profiles: pedestrians, cyclists and drivers; c) between the two test blocks: the first evaluation only and the second combining evaluation with this complex intervention. We found modal bias effects in both Hazard Perception and Prediction; and in Risk Estimation.
Highlights
To put themselves in the place of other users could enrich their situation awareness and improve their ability to perceive hazards, which correlates with the avoidance of accidents [1]
This study proposed a pioneering objective: To create a new holistic evaluation test of the skills of different road users in Hazard Perception (HP) and Prediction and Risk Estimation, with dangers recorded from the different perspectives of road use, in order to predict a profile of the safe user
We have succeeded in creating a new holistic test that measures the skills of HP and Prediction and risk estimation, and has good psychometric properties that discriminate 1) between various traffic hazards recorded from different perspectives: walking, cycling and driving a car, 2) between participants with different road user profiles and 3) between two test blocks, the first evaluation only and the second combining evaluation and intervention
Summary
To put themselves in the place of other users (as actor-observers) could enrich their situation awareness and improve their ability to perceive hazards (i.e. identify, recognise and react to potentially dangerous traffic situations), which correlates with the avoidance of accidents [1]. Hazard Prediction test for walking, riding a bike and driving a car spared by governments and research centres in trying to reduce the needless death and disability provoked by road accidents (i.e. 23,926 fatalities in 2016 in Europe, [3]). Accident rates are even higher and affect vulnerable users to a greater extent, with pedestrians and cyclists representing 26% and two- or three-wheeled vehicles 28% of deaths. Page 425]: “Hazard Perception (HP) testing and training appear to have the capability to reduce crash risk, (i.e the inclusion of a hazard-perception test in the UK driver licensing process has been estimated to reduce drivers’ non-low-speed public-road crash rates by 11.3% in the year following their test)”
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
