Communications - Scientific Letters of the University of Zilina 2020, 22(4):201-210 | DOI: 10.26552/com.C.2020.4.201-210

System Approach in Road Safety Studies

Andrzej Szymanek1
1 Faculty of Transport and Electrical Engineering, Kazimierz Pulaski University of Technology and Humanities in Radom, Poland

The road safety management methodology should be based on a system approach. This means that the road transport must be formalized as a complex system (CS), and then safety can be interpreted as an emergent feature of such a system. Road accidents should be interpreted as "organizational accidents". They should be studied using concepts such as "normal accident theory" (NAT) and "highly reliable organization" (HRO). The main purpose of the article is to show the usefulness of these concepts for the road safety and risk management, especially in Polish conditions. The system approach to road safety research (and transport safety) will allow for the better safety results.

Keywords: road safety, road risk management, system approach, complex systems

Received: February 23, 2020; Accepted: March 18, 2020; Published: October 1, 2020  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Szymanek, A. (2020). System Approach in Road Safety Studies. Communications - Scientific Letters of the University of Zilina, 22(4), 201-210. doi: 10.26552/com.C.2020.4.201-210
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. PROSKE, D. Catalogue of risks. Berlin-Heidelberg: Springer-Verlag, 2008. ISBN 978-3-540-79555-1. Go to original source...
    2. MAIBACH, M., SCHREYER, C., SUTTER, D., VAN ESSEN, H. P., BOON, B. H., SMOKERS, R., SCHROTEN, A., DOLL, C., PAWLOWSKA, B., BAK, M. Handbook on estimation of external costs in the transport sector. Internalization measures and policies for all external cost of transport (IMPACT). Version 1.1. Delft, CE, 2008.
    3. Global Status Report on Road Safety 2018: summary. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2018. ILicence: CC BYNC-SA 3.0 IGO. ISBN 978-92-4-156568-4.
    4. CHEN, S, KUHN, M., PRETTNER, K., BLOOM, D. E. The global macroeconomic burden of road injuries: estimates and projections for 166 countries. The Lancet Planetary Health [online]. 2019, 3(9), p. e-390-e398 [accessed 2020-02-20]. ISSN 2542-5196. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2542-5196(19)30170-6 Go to original source...
    5. EU Road Safety Policy Framework 2021-2030 - Next steps towards "Vision Zero" [online]. Commission Staff Working Document. SWD(2019) 283 final. Brussels: European Commission, 2019. Available from: https://ec.europa.eu/transport/sites/transport/files/legislation/swd20190283-roadsafety-vision-zero.pdf
    6. Europe on the Move - sustainable mobility for Europe: safe, connected, and clean [online]. Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions. COM(2018) 293 final. Brussels: European Commission, 2018. Available from: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/resource.html?uri=cellar%3A0e8b694e-59b5-11e8-ab41-01aa75ed71a1.0003.02/DOC_1&format=PDF
    7. LU, M. Modelling the effects of road traffic safety measures. Accident Analysis and Prevention [online]. 2006, 38(3), p. 507-517. ISSN 0001-4575. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2005.11.008 Go to original source...
    8. LU, M. Modelling and evaluation of the effects of traffic safety measures. Comparative analysis of driving assistance systems and road infrastructure. Doctoral thesis. Lund: Lunds Tekniska Hogskola, 2007. ISBN 978-91-628-7145-1. Go to original source...
    9. Road safety principles and models: review of descriptive, predictive, risk and accident consequence models. OCDE/GD(97)153. Paris: OECD, 1997.
    10. LEVESON, N. G. Safeware: system safety and computers. New York: Addison-Wesley, 1995, p. 185-224. ISBN 978-0201119725.
    11. SZYMANEK, A. Safety studies as a tied discipline / Nauka o bezpieczenstwie jako wiazana dyscyplina naukowa. In: Safety and Reliability International Conference KONBiN 2001 : proceedings [online]. Vol. 2. Warsaw: Wyd. ITWL, 2001. p. 337-350. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1126/science.284.5411.89 Go to original source...
    12. GEYSEN, W. J. The structure of safety science: definitions, goals and instruments. In: 1st World Congress on Safety Science : proceedings. Vol. 1. 1990. p. 44-80.
    13. PEDEN, M., SCURFIELD, R., SLEET, D., MOHAN, D., HYDER, A. A., JARAWAN, E., MATHERS, C. World report on road traffic injury prevention. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2004. ISBN 92-4-156260-9.
    14. VON BERTALANFFY, L. General systems theory: foundations, development, applications. New York: George Braziller Inc., 1968. ISBN 978-0807604533.
    15. FILTNESS, A., THOMAS, P., TALBOT, R., QUIGLEY, C., PAPADIMITRIOU, E., YANNIS, G., THEOFILATOS, A., AIGNER-BREUSS, E., KAISER, S., MACHATA, K., WEIJERMARS, W., VAN SCHAGEN, I., HERMITTE, T. The application of systems approach for road safety policy making [online] [accessed 2020-02-20]. Deliverable 8.1 of the H 2020 project Safety Cube. Loughborough: Loughborough University, Safety Cube, 2016. Available from: http://www.safetycube-project.eu/safetycube-collaborates-with-partner-projects-april-2016/
    16. ZEIN, S. R., NAVIN, F. P. D. Improving traffic safety: a new system approach. Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board [online]. 2003, 1830. ISSN 0361-1981, eISSN 2169-4052. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3141/1830-01 Go to original source...
    17. SKYTTNER, L. General systems theory. Problems - perspective - practice. Singapore: World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd., 2005. ISBN 978-9812564672.
    18. HOLLNAGEL, E. Barriers and accident prevention. Hampshire, England: Ashgate Publishing Ltd., 2004. ISBN 978-1138247352.
    19. LEVESON, N. G. A New approach to system safety engineering [online] [accessed 2020-02-20]. Massachusetts: Aeronautics and Astronautics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2002. Available from: http://ocw.mit.edu
    20. PARIES, J. Complexity, emergence, resilience. In: Resilience engineering - concepts and precepts. HOLLNAGEL, E., WOODS, D. D., LEVESON, N. (eds.). Aldershot, England: Ashgate Publishing Limited, 2006. ISBN 978-0754649045.
    21. Road safety: what's the vision? - Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development: OECD [online] [accessed 2020-02-20]. OECD, Paris, 2002. Available from: http://www.internationaltransportforum.org
    22. WHITESIDES, G. M., ISMAGILOV, R. F. Complexity in chemistry. Science. 1999, 284(5411), p. 89-92. ISSN 1095-9203. Go to original source...
    23. SZYMANEK, A. Theory of complex systems and the high reliability organization concept in transport safety modeling. In: 22nd International Scientific Conference Transport Means 2018 : proceedings. Part II. 2018. ISSN 1822-296X, eISSN 2351-7034, p. 828-833.
    24. WOODS, D. Coping it complexity: the psychology of human behavior in complex systems. In: Tasks, errors, and mental models. GOODSTEIN, L. P., ANDERSEN, H. B., OLSEN, E. E. (eds.). London: Taylor and Francis, 1986, p. 128-148. ISBN 978-0-85066-401-0.
    25. PERROW, C. Normal accidents: living with high risk technologies. New York: Basic Books, 1986. ISBN 978-0691004129.
    26. LE COZE, J.-CH. 1984-2014. Normal accidents. Was Charles Perrow right for the wrong reasons? Journal of Contingencies and Crisis Management [online]. 2015, 23(4), p. 275-286 [accessed 2020-02-20]. eISSN 1468-5973. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-5973.12090 Go to original source...
    27. TURNER, N., GRAY, G. C., SHRIVASTAVA, S., SONPAR, K., PAZZAGLIA, F. Normal accident theory versus high reliability theory: a resolution and call for an open systems view of accidents. Human Relations [online]. 2009, 62(9), p.1357-1390 [accessed 2020-02-20]. ISSN 0018-7267. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1177/0018726709339117 Go to original source...
    28. HOPKINS, A. The problem of defining high reliability organizations [online] [accessed 2020-02-20]. Working Paper 51. Canberra: National Research Centre for OHS Regulation, Australian National University, 2007. Available from: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc
    29. ENYA, A., PILLAY, M., DEMPSEY, S. A Systematic review on high reliability organisational theory as a safety management strategy in construction. Safety [online]. 2018, 4(1), 6. eISSN 2313-576X. Available from: https://doi.org/10.3390/safety4010006 Go to original source...
    30. ALMEIDA, I. M. Systemic approach to accidents and occupational health and safety management. Interfaces - A Journal on Integrated Management of Occupational Health and the Environment [online]. 2006, 1(2), Art 1 [accessed 2020-02-20]. ISSN 1980-0908. Available from: http://www3.sp.senac.br/hotsites/blogs/InterfacEHS/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/2006-v2-art1-ingles.pdf
    31. ROBERTS, K. H. Some characteristics of high-reliability organizations. Organization Science [online]. 1990, 1(2), p. 160. ISSN 1047-7039, eISSN1526-5455. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1287/orsc.1.2.160 Go to original source...
    32. MARAIS, K., DULAC, N., LEVESON, N. Beyond normal accidents and high reliability organizations: The need for an alternative approach to safety in complex systems. In: Engineering Systems Division Symposium : proceedings [online] [accessed 2020-02-20]. 2004. Available from: http://sunnyday.mit.edu/papers/hro.pdf
    33. LEKKA, CH. High reliability organisations - a review of the literature [online]. RR899 Research Report. London: Health and Safety Executive, 2011. Available from: https://www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr899.pdf
    34. Auckland regional road safety plan 2009/12. Creating a safer transport system for Aucklanders [online] [accessed 2020-02-20]. The Auckland Regional Transport Authority (ARTA), 2009. Available from:http://www.roadsafeauckland.org.nz
    35. NEWTON, J. Road safety - partnership program. Shared responsibility [online] [accessed 2020-02-20]. Western Australia: Office of Road Safety, 2008. Available from: http://www.officeofroadsafety.wa.gov.au
    36. JAMROZ, K., SZYMANEK, A. Integrated risk management in the road traffic safety system / Zintegrowane zarzadzanie ryzykiem w systemie bezpieczenstwa ruchu drogowego (in Polish). Transport Miejski i Regionalny / Urban and Regional Transport. 2020, 4, p. 30-36. ISSN 1732-5153.
    37. REASON, J. Human error [online]. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1990. eISBN 9781139062367. Available from: https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139062367 Go to original source...
    38. RASMUSSEN, J. Safety research and the technological development. In: 1st World Congress on Safety Science : proceedings. Vol. 1. 1990. p. 364 - 377.
    39. SZYMANEK, A. The concept of using SCh-M and LTSA models to identify management gaps in the Polish road safety system. In: 23rd International Scientific Conference. Transport Means 2019 : proceedings. Sustainability: Part III. Research and Solution. ISSN 1822-296X, eISSN 2351-7034, p. 1170-1174.
    40. ARCHER, J. Indicators for traffic safety assessment and prediction and their application in micro-simulation modelling: a study of urban and suburban intersections. Doctoral dissertation. Stockholm: Royal Institute of Technology, 2005. ISSN 1651-0216, ISBN 91-7323-119-3.
    41. SZYMANEK, A. Potential concept of security in risk modeling and supply chain reliability / Potencjalowa koncepcja bezpieczenstwa w modelowaniu ryzyka i niezawodnosci łancucha dostaw (in Polish). Logistyka. 2010, 2, p. 121-125. ISSN 1231-5478.
    42. MARLEY, K. A. Mitigating supply chain disruptions: essays on lean management, interactive compexity and tight coupling. Doctoral dissertation. Ohio: Graduate School of The Ohio State University, 2006.

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (CC BY 4.0), which permits use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content