Lorries on the road (study no. 27)

An investigation into the relationships between lorry and car drivers.

Lorries account for only 5 per cent of all registered vehicles in Germany, placing them firmly in the minority. Despite this, they have a large presence in general road traffic. This study looks at heavy goods vehicles and investigates the role they play in general traffic and in accidents. Traffic safety forms the main focus of the study and it also examines the relationship between lorry and car drivers. Surveys carried out amongst both groups of drivers certainly provided interesting results.

Passengers (study no. 26)

An investigation into the psychological and sociological aspects of the interplay between drivers and passengers.

Passengers as the subject of a traffic study? That may initially seem a little strange. After all, passengers are hardly ever the focus of studies into traffic safety. They tend to be seen as passive participants in road traffic with no influence on driver behaviour. However, this view is changing.

The interplay between a driver and passenger has come to be viewed as highly relevant to the driver's behaviour. The driver and passenger communicate and interact throughout the journey, which means that the passenger becomes a factor influencing road safety. This study showed that passengers can both increase and reduce the risk of an accident occurring.

A decline in traditions? (study no. 25)

The way people behave in traffic is regulated by a number of rules. But how often do we adhere to these rules? This study is dedicated to the creation of a general "code of ethics for drivers".

Driver training in Europe (study no. 24)

Inspired by the high rate of accidents amongst new drivers, this Uniroyal traffic study focuses on questions relating to driver training. A comparison of six countries (Germany, France, Great Britain, Italy, Austria, Spain) demonstrates the wide range of existing approaches to teaching new drivers. It also addresses the problems faced by young drivers and examines their role in traffic accidents.

Motorised bikes – Good fun but dangerous (study no. 23)

Motorised bikes are enjoying a renaissance in a number of European countries - both as a leisure activity and as an alternative to cars in busy traffic. However, riding these vehicles also has a negative side and the associated risks are much higher than for drivers of other vehicles. For example, a motorbike rider is ten time more likely to be involved in an accident than a car driver. This risk of accident and injury provided good reason for us to take a closer look at the role of motorised bikes in traffic.

Traffic surveillance (study no. 22)

Rules tend to be broken much more often in traffic than in other areas of life. To ensure that traffic regulations are enforced, the authorities have introduced a wide range of surveillance methods. This study attempts to analyse the different aspects of traffic surveillance within towns through an international comparison. Alongside Germany, studies were conducted in France, Great Britain, Italy, Spain and Belgium.

Children in danger (study no. 21)

Children are one of the most at-risk groups in road traffic. However, their risk of being killed in traffic differs greatly from country to country: in Portugal it is almost six times higher than in Sweden. Why should this be and what can we do to protect children more? Comparing different European countries provides a good opportunity to identify strengths and weaknesses in the different traffic systems. This study is based on investigations conducted in five different countries and aims to determine and anlayse the road traffic problems associated with children.

Chaos and urban living (study no. 20)

This investigation focuses on the problems caused by urban traffic in a number of countries. It is distinguished from other similar studies by comparing traffic conditions in five capital cities. The different origins of these cities and developments over time make them ideal candidates for comparing different solutions and problem areas.