1

INFLUENCE OF HUMAN FACTOR ON ROAD TRAFFIC SAFETY

IN LATVIA

Aldis Lāma

Accident database expert of Road Traffic Safety Directorate,

Road safety expert of Road Traffic Research, Member of „CARE & RSPI national experts group” from

Latvia in European Commission, Road Safety PIN panelist from Latvia in European

Transport Safety Council.

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To give an overview of road traffic safety level in Latvia;

To compare the road safety level of Latvia with that in the countries of EU;

To analyse the main causes of road accidents and impact of human factor;

To reveal the impact of implemented measures on road traffic safety;

To analyse different excuses of road users to blanch over own behaviour in traffic.

The objectives of the presentation

3

Road traffic safety indices in Latvia

During the last eleven years number of vehicles has increased 2,2 times and that of drivers 1,5 times;

As road infrastructure remains practically the same the traffic has become more intensive;

Number of injury accidents and number of injured persons went up 1,1 times in the last ten years, but number of killed decreased 1,6 times.

6080

100120140160180200220240

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

%

VehiclesDriversInjury accidentsKilled

4

Decreasing of killed from 2001 till 2005 in EU countries

-34

,8%

-34

,3%

-27

,1%

-26

,7%

-25

,4%

-24

,8%

-24

,5%

-24

,5%

-23

,2%

-23

,2%

-20

,8%

-19

,8%

-19

,5%

-18

,5%

-15

,9%

-15

,6%

-14

,1%

-12

,5% -8

,8%

-7,3

%

-6,8

% -3,6

%

-3,2

%

-1,6

%

3,1

%

4,1

% 6,3

%

7,6

%

Fra

nce

Lux

embu

rg

Lat

vija

_200

6

Bel

giqu

e (B

elgi

ë)

Por

tuga

l

Sui

sse

Sve

rige

Ned

erla

nd

Dan

mar

k

Deu

tsch

land

Lat

vija

_200

5

Öst

erre

ich

Esp

aña

Nor

ge

Ital

ia

Ees

ti

Eλλ

áδa

(Ellá

da)

Suo

mi (

Fin

land

)

Slo

vens

ko

Uni

ted

Kin

gdom

Slo

veni

ja

Čes

ká r

epub

lika

Irel

and

Pol

ska

Mag

yaro

rszá

g

Kúт

трoς

(K

ypro

s)

Mal

ta

Lie

tuva

5

Killed per 1 million inhabitants in European Union

42 46 49 56 61 65 72

88 93 94 97 10

1

10

3

10

4

10

4 11

8

12

6

12

7

13

0

13

6

14

3

14

6

15

2

17

8

22

4

Ma

lta

Ned

erla

nd

Sv

erig

e

Un

ited

Kin

gd

om

Da

nm

ark

Deu

tsch

lan

d

Su

om

i (F

inla

nd

)

Fra

nce

Ita

lia

Öst

erre

ich

Irel

an

d

Lu

xem

bu

rg

Esp

añ

a

Slo

ven

sko

Bel

giq

ue

(Bel

gië

)

Po

rtu

ga

l

Čes

ká

rep

ub

lik

a

Ma

gy

aro

rszá

g

Slo

ven

ija

Kú

ттр

oς

(Ky

pro

s)

Po

lsk

a

Eλλ

áδ

a (

Ell

ád

a)

Ees

ti (

20

06

)

La

tvij

a (

20

06

)

Lie

tuv

a (

20

06

)

6

Killed per 1 million cars in European Union

103

106

112

116 15

7

157

169

177

185 21

9

224 240

297 32

5 368 384

441 47

6 495

Ned

erla

nd

Sve

rige

Un

ited

Kin

gdom

Deu

tsch

lan

d

Ital

ia

Su

omi (

Fin

lan

d)

Dan

mar

k

Fra

nce

Öst

erre

ich

Esp

aña

Bel

giq

ue

(Bel

gië)

Irel

and

Por

tuga

l

Čes

ká

rep

ub

lika

Ees

ti (

2006

)

Eλλ

áδa

(Ellá

da)

Pol

ska

Lie

tuva

(20

06)

Lat

vija

(20

06)

7

The system “Road user-Vehicle-Environment”

The system “Road user-Vehicle-

Environment (condition of roads and weather)” sets specific problems of road traffic. Causes of the occurrence of road accidents can be divided in three main groups:

Action of road users;Technical condition of vehicles;Impact of environment (condition of roads and weather).

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According to statistics the occurrence of road accidents is mainly related with road users’ actions.

The increase of the level of road traffic safety mainly depends on human factor.

The behavior of road users is one of the most important and most sophisticated factors in road safety.

It must be in the centre of attention of all society as well as in the centre of attention of particular sciences.

Action of road users

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The target of European UnionThe EU has set itself a target of halving the yearly number of road death between 2001 and 2010;The ETSC set down three key areas of road users behavior to improve overall road safety:

speed; alcohol; use of seat belt and other protective

systems.

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Important causes of serious road traffic accidents in Latvia

Speeding - 22,6% of all fatalities registered in 2006;

Driving under the influence of alcohol - 20,6% of all fatalities registered in 2006;

Manoeuvring and aggressive driving - 7,6% of all fatalities registered in 2006.

Reducing the consequences of crashes

Not using of a seat belt – only 77% of drivers and passengers in front seat used a seat belt in 2006.

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How to affect the road users?

I. To educate and to train the road users to behave safe;

II. To create public opinion about safe behavior;

III. To enforce the road users to behave safe;

IV. To improve the infrastructure of road network;

V. To improve passive safety of vehicle.

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Penalty point system – a powerful tool!

The aim of the penalty point system is to separate the malicious and regular violators from those who are driving according to the road traffic rules.

In 01.07.2004 Penalty point system entered into force in Latvia.

It means that drivers for committed violations are punished both by fines and by receiving penalty points.

The penalty point system besides punishment includes also information, rehabilitation and re-licensing.

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Indicates before and after the implementation the penalty point

systemKilled

01.0

7.20

02-3

0.06

.200

3

01.0

7.20

03-3

0.06

.200

4

01.0

7.20

04-3

0.06

.200

5

01.0

7.20

05-3

0.06

.200

6

01.0

7.20

02-3

0.06

.200

3

01.0

7.20

03-3

0.06

.200

4

01.0

7.20

04-3

0.06

.200

5

01.0

7.20

05-3

0.06

.200

6

01.0

7.20

02-3

0.06

.200

3

01.0

7.20

03-3

0.06

.200

4

01.0

7.20

04-3

0.06

.200

5

01.0

7.20

05-3

0.06

.200

6

Number 5128 5557 4811 4049 503 562 491 412 6336 6843 6104 5086Average per year(+/-) per year(%) per year

5343-995

-15,1%

InjuredInjury accidentsBefore After Before After

6590 5595

After

533 452

Before

-814430

-913-17,1% -15,2%

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Road traffic safety indicates

40

60

80

100

120

140

160

180

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1999

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

2006

Injury accidents Killed

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Driver’s skills improvement courseIf the number of received penalty points have

come to 8 penalty points – a notification about the amount of received penalty points and the obligation to attend courses about road traffic safety “Driver’s skills improvement course” is sent to the violator.

„Driver’s skills improvement courses” are split into two parts (each part is a three hours long lecture 3 x 45 min):

„Behaviour of road traffic participants and factors that can have an impact on it”;„Assured behaviour of a driver in different road traffic situations”.

Proposal to improve contents of courses with issue about psychologically correct attitude of road users towards safe moving in road traffic for offenders of Traffic regulations.

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Speed and road traffic safetyThere is an increased risk to be involved in an accident both for vehicles driving slower or driving faster than the average traffic flow;

Higher speed increases risk of occurrence of an accident because it shortens the period of time for drivers to take decision in critical situation and to perform manoeuvre of escape;

Higher speed increases the damages of vehicles and severity of injuries of drivers;

In its turn, the severity of the consequences of the accidents doesn’t increase straight proportionally to the increase of speed, but much faster;

In the accident with pedestrians the possibility that the pedestrian will be killed increases rapidly if the speed at the moment of crash is higher. For example, if the speed of the vehicle at the moment of crash is 50km/h instead of 40km/h the risk that the pedestrian will be killed increases 2,5 times;

Although speed limits are increasing the level of road traffic safety they are the most unpopular measures by the view of drivers.

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Accidents under the influence of alcohol

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

110%

1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Injury accidents Killed Injured

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Injury accidents in Midsummer dayThe three holidays of Midsummer Day (from

23rd to 25th of June) in 2000 were named “Bloody Midsummer days” when 26 people

were killed.

40%

60%

80%

100%

120%

140%

160%

180%

24.0

6.1

995

24.0

6.1

996

24.0

6.1

997

24.0

6.1

998

24.0

6.1

999

24.0

6.2

000

24.0

6.2

001

24.0

6.2

002

24.0

6.2

003

24.0

6.2

004

2005.0

6.2

4

2006.0

6.2

4

Injury accidents

Casualties

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Our excuses for not using seat belts

"Seat belts are useless for short

journeys..."

As 80% of lethal traffic accidents occur 30 - 35 km from home and at a speed below 55-60 km/h, short journeys at such distance and speeds require the usage of seat belts the most.

"Seat belt is useless when

traveling slowly..."

70% of the injured people who have not been wearing seat belts have been injured when traveling at a speed below 50 km/h. A crash at a speed of 50 km/h is equal to falling down from the 4th floor!

"I do not have accidents - I am a

good driver..."

Being a good driver can prevent you from having accidents, but you can’t be sure that a bad driver will not crash your car.

"Seat belt is uncomfortable..."

The reason that seat belts are found uncomfortable is that we are not using them. Once wearing seat belts becomes a habitual action, people do not think that it is uncomfortable. Even though the seat belt is uncomfortable, this can never be compared with the situation of someone who has become disabled after a traffic accident.

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"I do not need a seat belt - I have

an airbag..."

Airbag is an additional protector only against severe crashes from the front. Airbag increases the effectiveness of the seat belt by 40 % and is placed in the car to assist the seat belt. Airbags can never take the place of seat belts in crashes from the sides and to prevent being thrown away.

"I do not think this will happen

to me - it happens to

others."

This is our point of view of life. It makes us feel better to think that accidents happen only to others. There are facts that should not be ignored. For instance, one out of three people is injured during a car crash that occurs at any time of their lives. We can not predict when this can happen to us.

"Seat belt is my problem - it is

none of anybody's

business..."

Traffic accidents cost trillions of money to a society. How can the damage and loss of a life for a feeling of freedom which is personally deceptive be accepted? Can staying at the hospital for months or being doomed to a wheelchair all of a lifetime be compared to this simple feeling of freedom?

Our excuses for not using seat belts

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The road safety in Latvia is improved during last years;Despite of achievements the level of road safety in Latvia is worse than the average level of European Union;The road safety mainly depends on actions of road users;It is necessary to build up psychologically correct attitude of road users towards safe moving in road traffic.

Main conclusions

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Thank you for attention!

All information is collected from following home pages:

www.csdd.lv

www.csizpete.lv

www.etsc.be

www.erso.eu