Traffic Accident Problems-2

“Contributory Factors”
 Definition :
Road Accidents Contributory Factor

Carsten et al.(1989):

A road user or traffic system failure

without which the accident
would not have happened.
 Fatal accident news !!
A deadly road accident happened at Scotland Rd.
Penang at about 5.45am.

2 male died in the accident while another 2 male

& 1 female reported in serious injury.

According to the source, the car hit the tree &

then cannon into a opposite driving lane. When
the rescued personel arrived, 4 victims were still
inside the car & 1 male body found on the road.

The driver was confirmed dead when arrived in

the hospital while 3 others were in serious condition.
 Subject is complex !
Accidents affected by various factors.
1. Characteristics
of Road Users
2. Vehicles performance
3. Roadway environment
 CASE STUDY:

“ A car driver knocking down

a school child “
 Car driver:

Speeding?

Driving recklessly?

Alcohol / drugs?
 Vehicle :

Driver may brake but mechanical failure

of brakes?

Slippery conditions due to tyre tread

conditions?
 Roadway :

Geometry deficient?

Road surface slippery due to soft

aggregates surfacing course?

Thick film of water by rain?

Interaction of diverse set of factors
causes accidents,
though ONE factor may be more
responsible than the rest
& can be easily identified.
 Generally,

THREE Categories
of Contributory Factors.
Accident Contributory Factors

67 % Human

8% Vehicle

25 % Road Environment
1. Human Factors
 Human factors

Complicated.
Sometimes characterised “unscientific”.

Mostly because of motorist behaviour.

 Human factors

Study of human behaviour offers very

deep insight into causes of accidents.

Provides valuable guidance for avoidance

of accidents.
 Human factors

“Behaviour influences & controls

the vehicle

But

Behaviour is controlled by
personality & attitudes”
Human Error ?
 Human factors

1) Perceptual errors

Critical information might be

below the threshold for seeing
(the light was too dim, the driver was blinded by
glare, or the pedestrian's clothes had low contrast)

Or the driver might make a perceptual misjudgement

(a curve's radius or another car's speed or distance)
 Human factors

2) Focus errors

Critical information might be detectable but that the

driver fail to attend/notice because his mental
resources are focused elsewhere.

Often times, a driver will claim that she/he did not

"see" a plainly visible pedestrian or car.

This is entirely possible because much of our

information processing occurs outside of
awareness.
 Human factors

3) Response errors

The driver may correctly process the information but

fail to choose the correct response
("I'm skidding, so I'll turn away from the skid"),

or make the correct decision yet fail to carry it out

("I meant to hit the brake, but I hit the gas”)
Human Conditions ?
 Human factors

1) Physical / Physiological factors

~ alcohol/drug impairment,
~ reduced vision,
 Human factors

2) Mental / Emotional factors

~ emotionally upset,
~ pressure or strain,
~ in-hurry.
 Human factors

3) Experience / Exposure factors

~ driver inexperience,
~ vehicle unfamiliarity,
~ road over-familiarity,
~ road / area unfamiliarity.
 Human factors

Some list of human factors causing accidents:

• Following front vehicle too closely

• Dangerous cornering

• Dangerous overtaking

• Reckless driving

• Over speeding
 Human factors

• Speaking via handphone while driving

• Texting while driving

• Red light running

• Non-compliance at stop signs

• Distractions
2. Road Environmental
Factors
 Roadway Environmental factors

Can be developed into

different factors &
not necessarily mean directly
contributing to accident.
 Roadway Environmental factors

Examples :

• Inadequate signs & signals,

• View obstructions,
• Design problems:
~ vertical / horizontal alignment,
~ superelevation,
~ carriageway width,
~ width & condition of shoulders.
 Roadway Environmental factors

Examples (cont.) :

• Road maintenance problems,

• Pavement surface,
• Rapid weather change,
• Ambient vision limitations,
• Access points,
• Roadside hazards,
• Etc…
3. Vehicle Factors
 Vehicle factors

1) Vehicle types

2) Vehicle conditions
 Vehicle factors

1) Vehicle Types “crashworthiness”

No vehicle is perfectly safe…

Researcher constantly hunt for

improving quality of motor vehicles
 Vehicle factors

2) Vehicle Conditions “roadworthiness”

Maintenance-related failures:

~ inadequate tyre tread depth (< 4mm),

~ worn brakes,
~ unchecked or unchanged vehicle fluids,
~ over/under inflated tyres,
~ etc…
Haddon Matrix
 Actions to address
the 3 contributory factors
during 3 crash events
 Haddon Matrix
PRE-CRASH CRASH POST-CRASH
HUMAN •Education Compliance and Correct •Emergency medical
•Training Use of Primary Safety services
•Enforcement Features •Skills of Paramedics
~RSE in schools ~wear SIRIM MS1:2011 & First Respondents
~Publicity Campaign Protective Helmets &
~CBP (Visibility Enhancement Visor
Materials-VEM, Helmets, Belts) ~wear seatbelt
~Driver Training Program & front/back
Grading of Driving Institutes
~Automated Enforcement System (AES)

VEHICLE •Primary safety (roadworthiness - •Secondary safety •Ease of evacuation

vehicle stds)
~Vehicle Construction & Use (WP29)
~NCAP Ratings
~Vehicle Inspection/Maintenance
~Electronic Stability Control (ESC)
~Intelligent Speed Adaptation
(crashworthiness - Better rescue tools
vehicle/rider impact
protections)
~airbags, panel pad,
seatbelts, helmets,
protective clothing
~crash compatibility
~HV under-run

ROAD •Road engineering Programs •Roadside safety •Restoration of roads

~Road Safety Audit ~forgiving roadside & traffic devices
ENVIRO ~iRAP furniture (e.g. crash
~Accident Blackspot Treatment cushions, breakable
~Motorcycle Lanes posts, barriers)
~clear zones
From traffic engineering viewpoint?
Since DRIVER is the KEY,
traffic engineers must be aware of human factors
& realise that traffic engineering
applications & countermeasures
work thru’ their influence on human behaviour.
(Ogden, 1990)
Comments/Questions ?