Analysis of Child Traffic Safety near Primary School Areas Using UAV Technology

Abstract

Road safety in primary school areas is a delicate issue due to the vulnerability of children as road users. They are inexperienced traffic participants and sometimes their behavior in traffic situations is unpredictable. This paper reports a safety analysis conducted using video processing of conflict trajectories of vehicles and active transportation users (AT users). The videos were collected using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as this technology does not affect the actual behavior of traffic participants. Due to their airborne position, UAVs can conveniently gather information about driving behaviors and the exact positions of various participants. The safety analysis was conducted using surrogate indicators suitable for evaluating the risk of potential collisions as they incorporate both spatial proximity and speed. Three conflict indicators were used in the safety analysis: (i) time-to-collision, (ii) post-encroachment time, and (iii) heavy braking. The methodology was tested in a primary school area in the city of Zagreb. With the applied methodology, a total of 43 potential conflicts were identified in the school area (14 time-to-collision, 23 post-encroachment time, and 6 heavy braking). Based on the determined potential conflicts, safety measures were proposed to decrease the number and severity of potential conflicts and to increase traffic safety near school areas.

Expecting the unpredictable: Categorisation of children and youth during driver training

“…Though children’s insufficient skills for safely participating in traffic have been extensively documented (e.g. Ampofo-Boateng et al, 1993; Barton and Morrongiello, 2011; Renard et al, 2022) the focus of our analysis has been on the situated practice of driving instructors and their students by which this insufficiency is predicated of the child. As Speier (1973: 148) pointed out, ‘seeing human beings as ‘children’ is not just recognising biological or physical properties, although to be sure they have those distinctively.…”

“…Murray, 2009) and research evidence (e.g. Ampofo-Boateng et al, 1993; Renard et al, 2022) identifying children as a particularly vulnerable group of traffic users who lack the relevant cognitive and perceptual skills to safely take part in traffic. This paper shows that trainee drivers and instructors routinely characterise children and youth as a distinct category of traffic participants expected to potentially engage in unpredictable behaviour and hence requiring particular attention from the trainee driver.…”