Professional drivers as road users in the urban environment

• Few international studies have so far been conducted in terms of professional drivers' speed compliance in urban areas, and even fewer on professional drivers' compliance with rights of way at pedestrian crossings. The project began with a literature review to identify existing knowledge on the role of professional drivers in traffic. The municipalities of Luleå, Piteå, Kalix and Älvsbyn in Sweden were contacted for information about the project and for cooperation in the selection of study sites. Speed measurements with a handheld laser were conducted in the urban environment with the focus on commercial vehicles such as buses, trucks, freight services, taxis and service vehicles. In parallel with the speed measurements, video recording was conducted for observational studies of yielding behaviour at pedestrian crossings in the urban environment, with the focus on commercial vehicles. Professional drivers as a group are not clearly distinguished from other drivers regarding compliance with speed limits and, when they differed from other drivers, it was in a negative way. Bus drivers and taxi drivers drove faster than other drivers at sites with maximum speed limit of 30 km/h, and the tendency was that taxi drivers also drove faster on roads with maximum speed limit of 50 km/h. Professional drivers are much like other drivers. This averages that it is common that the relevant rules not are followed, two to three out of ten drivers do not give priority to pedestrians at marked pedestrian crossings. This also applies to professional drivers.

Subject headings

TEKNIK OCH TEKNOLOGIER  -- Samhällsbyggnadsteknik -- Transportteknik och logistik (hsv//swe)

ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY  -- Civil Engineering -- Transport Systems and Logistics (hsv//eng)

Keyword

traffic safety

urban traffic

professional drivers

pedestrians

bicyclists

Traffic Engineering

Trafikteknik

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

kon (subject category)