NEGOTIATING WITH THE ROAD USER

Road safety measures are generally taken in response to risk-taking behaviour. They are intended to control behaviour by channelling it via technical measures and regulations, or by motivating road users to adopt safer behaviour through education, police enforcement and information campaigns. They often work, but frequently inadequately. One of the underlying reasons for this failure - road users' resistance to a measure - is dealt with in this paper. The principle is that resistance is elicited, because the problem analysis and responding measures are determined unilaterally by policy organisations. This should be set against consultation and negotiation with road users. Research can offer support by focusing more on the perceptions of road users and the underlying needs of behaviour. A research question which should be posed more often, for example, is how to interpret the lifestyle and driving style of road users in order to reach an acceptable compromise between their needs and the public interest. At least, this would offer possibilities for indirect forms of consultation and negotiation. The paper proposes a further detailing of this approach, based on surveys and perception studies conducted amongst road users and using behavioural theories and principles derived from social marketing. (A) For the covering abstract see IRRD E201264.