Vision Zero from the Perspective of Traffic Psychology

Abstract

The presented article reflects a scientific approach to the concept of a traffic system known as Vision Zero, which was postulated in 1997 by prof. Kare Rumar in Sweden. The implications of this approach are explored in terms of psychology. Other documents of the European Commission (including “Towards a European Road Safety Area: policy orientations on road safety 2011-2020”) and the development of traffic safety in the Czech Republic are also discussed. The article seeks to provide information about the vision of traffic safety in European countries, which is based on the tenet that each road fatality is unnecessary - “Vision Zero”. Attention is focused on the period 2012-2020, trends pursued by the European Union in this area, and the practical implications of such efforts for the Czech Republic, with a view to specific implementation measures. Drawing on their experience, the authors point out the existence of fragmentary and inconsistent approaches to the issue of road safety in the Czech Republic, specifically at the level of practical application (assessment in terms of traffic psychology, driver recruitment, prevention, training, law enforcement, rehabilitation, etc.), where organisations and/or individuals carry out measures which are not beneficial to road traffic safety, or there is no evidence of their contribution to road safety. The roles of psychology, traffic psychology, and traffic psychologists in designing the traffic system inspired by Vision Zero are underlined. The article provides a general background to the topic of traffic safety and the measures that can be adopted to improve it.