Analysing Collisions

One of the ways in which to examine the relationship between collisions and the human factor is through analysing the crashes- breaking them down into components. The variables of physical, mental and geographic location (where you live) have been used to try to estimate the number of collisions a driver will have within a certain time period. Each of these variables' effect on the driver's part in a collision has been examined.

Psychological factors that lead to crashes.

Causes of collisions may be classified as either driver-related or environment-related. After examining the causes of several thousands of collisions, it was found that the drivers' traits that are crash-related are gender, age, driving experience, characteristics related to the specific driving situation in which the driver was engaged at the time, and the drivers' state of health at the time, (fatigue, for instance), as well as the drivers' mental capabilities.

Research methods try to relate the responsibility for crashes to a variety of behavioural and psychological variables. These variables can be divided into three main categories: First, lab - tested variables such as visual - perceptual sensitivity, reaction time and perception of danger. Second, measures of individual characteristics such as the tendency to break rules, sensation seeking and the amount of self - confidence while driving. And third, the driver's behaviour on the road, for example the speed of driving.

Age and Experience

Data shows that younger drivers, aged 18 - 30, with driving experience of one to five years, had a higher involvement in collisions (between 2 to 5 times higher) than older or more experienced drivers. In general, the older and more experienced the driver, the fewer crashes you are likely to be involved in. What is interesting to note is that people who drive more than others do not necessarily have more crashes. Or more precisely, people who drive more, are involved in fewer crashes than people who drive only a little.

As opposed to the situation in which factors involved in the crash are external to the driver (i.e. the road, the traffic), when the factors are driver-related, i.e. the drivers' abilities and characteristics - then interventions such as practise and a capability improvement program can improve the driver-related factors, thereby reducing crashes.

Based on:
Maycock, G. (1997). Accident liability - the human perspective. In Rothengatter, T & Vaya, E.C. (Eds), Traffic and Transport Psychology (pp.65 - 76). U.K: Pergamon