THE HUMAN FACTOR IN HIGHWAY REGULATION AND SAFETY

ALTHOUGH EXCEEDINGLY IMPORTANT, NO SYSTEMATIC EXPLORATION OF THE HUMAN FACTOR IN TRAFFIC HAD EVER BEEN UNDERTAKEN; DODGE EMPHASIZED THE IMPORTANCE OF STUDYING THE HUMAN FACTOR ILLUSTRATING HIS POINTS WITH RESPECT TO THE MENTAL PROBLEMS OF THE HIGHWAY BY CASUAL OBSERVATIONS. SUCH THINGS AS SIGNS THAT TAKE TOO MUCH TIME TO COMPREHEND, AND LACK OF VISIBILITY OF TRAFFIC POLICEMEN IN DARK CLOTHING, ILLUSTRATE THE NEED FOR DETERMINATION OF THE IDEAL TRAFFIC SIGNS AND SIGNALS. THE TIME ELEMENT WITH RELATION TO DRIVERS' HAND AND ARM SIGNAL NEEDS STUDY. THE VISUAL LIMITATIONS OF BOTH DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS SHOULD BE TAKEN INTO ACCOUNT IN ESTABLISHING TRAFFIC HANDLING METHODS. THE PROHIBITION OF LEFT TURNS AND THE USE OF ONE WAY STREETS ARE IMPORTANT IN THIS CONNECTION. A SYSTEMATIC ANALYSIS OF CONFUSION OF DRIVERS AND PEDESTRIANS INVOLVING THE PRACTICAL LIMITS OF ATTENTION AND THE FACTS OF HUMAN VARIABILITY IS NEEDED. MINIMUM REACTION TIME, WHICH IS ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT FACTORS IN SAFETY, COULD BE MADE A MATTER OF TEST. STANDARDIZED TESTS FOR DRIVERS AND GENERAL EDUCATION FOR SAFETY ARE ALSO FIELDS FOR THE SERVICE OF PSYCHOLOGISTS AND EDUCATORS.