Analyzing human factors in road accidents: TRACE WP5 Summary Report

Abstract

The main objectives of TRACE WP5 'Human factors' deliverables are:
\ni) To support a better standardization of accident analysis in Europe on a scientific background,
\nii) To provide operational models and methodological classification grids dealing with 'human factors'
\naspects involved in road accidents,
\niii) To promote a comprehensive analysis of the involvement of human beings, going further than the
\nusual 'user-orientated causal analysis' often limited at establishing the driver 'at fault' and without
\nsearching for the background reasons of the problems met par road users.
\nSuch objectives involve analyzing accidents as the symptom of the difficulties met by drivers in
\ncertain driving situations, and as a revelatory of their needs in help. Two questions have to be asked in
\norder to progress in the understanding of accident causation: 1) What are precisely and operationally
\nthe human failures in accidents? But also: 2) What are the reasons for these human failures? Keeping
\nin mind that these reasons are of multiple natures and combine most of the time to produce the final
\nevent. By so doing, the definition of typical scenarios of 'human error' production can open to the
\ndefinition of more appropriate countermeasures, well fitted to human needs.