Human factor and traffic safety

Abstract

This article deals with issues in the field of traffic engineering. According to its assumptions, traffic is a system consisting of three inseparable elements which are man, vehicle and road. In this article, the author focuses on the relationship between two of these elements: human as a road user and a path that should be a subordinate of the user’s capabilities and convenience. The first part of the article is an introduction to the topic of the article. There are presented the data on the amount of road traffic accidents caused by human factors and the categories of errors committed by drivers. In the further part there were analyzed the biological factors which have influence on driver’s actions such as sight, attention and reaction time with particular emphasis on the imperfections of those factors which should be taken into account when designing roads and organizing traffic because it lets to provide a higher level of road safety. The purpose of this article is to develop practical conclusions for road design and traffic management that will help to better adjust the road transport infrastructure to the capabilities and natural limitations of the human person. These conclusions are included in the summary.