Traffic Psychology

Traffic psychology is one of the areas on which the Department of Psychology at Palacky University, Olomouc, focuses its research and teaching activities. Hosting professor for area of Traffic psychology at our department is prof. Ralf Risser. We focus on the basic and applied research and experimental development in the are of human factors in traffic and traffic safety.

Traffic psychology in Department of Psychology at Palacky University in Olomouc (poster)
Researchgate profile – Ass.prof. Matus Sucha

Basic and applied research

  1. Road users’ behaviour and the possible ways of influencing it
  2. Risky and vulnerable road user groups
  3. Cycling and walking
  4. Driving under the influence of alcohol and other drugs
  5. Older drivers and cognitive deficits
  6. Alcolock, alcohol ignition interlock
  7. Public transport

The development of methodologies and assessment tools

  1. Methodology to assess psychological fitness to drive (traffic psychology assessment)
  2. Development and localisation of special traffic psychology methods

Vývoj a evaluace vzdělávacích a rehabilitačních kurzů

  1. Integrated curriculum for postgraduate education in traffic psychology
  2. Rehabilitation courses for drivers
  3. Tools to evaluate rehabilitation programmes

Operation and safety of tramways in interaction with public space

Guarantor: PhDr. Matúš Šucha, PhD.

The main objective of the project is to increase the safety of tram traffic in cities, and by analysing the risk of nodes (called hotspots), describe procedures for avoiding conflicts and accidents in these locations. The project will further describe the interaction between trams and other participants in the traffic environment – especially automobiles, cyclists, and pedestrians. The human factor will be emphasised as a central control element in the transport system. The philosophical basis of the conceptualisation of safety and accident prevention is the assumption that there are various indicators that can be expected of an accident in the future (at any location), which means it can be predicted. A description of these indicators and introducing them into traffic safety practice is one of the objectives of the project.
Grant support: 7. EU framework programme, COST, TU 1103

Why do we drive the way we do (COST, Dublin, 2013)
Public report Work phase 1 (pdf)
Final report: Operation and safety of tramways in interaction with public space: Analysis and Outcomes (pdf)
Final conference presentation – Indicators (Bertrand & Sucha) (pdf)
Brochure (pdf)

Safe and sustainable mobility in urban settings

Expert guarantor: Matúš Šucha
Research team: Kateřina Böhmová, Alena Hrbáčová (3rd year students)

Annotation: The main objective of the project is to engage Palacky University in the overall trend of improving traffic safety, quality of life, and environmental sustainability. Key concepts include safety for all, the quality of life of students, university employees, and citizens of the city, the environment, and the status of the university as an organization responsible across society. The campaign targets the university environment that includes the university buildings, employees, students, and the citizens of the city who are linked to the university.

Pedestrians and drivers: communication, needs & safety when crossing the road

Guarantor: PhDr. Matúš Šucha, PhD.

Abstract: The aim of the research is to describe pedestrian strategies when crossing the road, driver strategies at pedestrian crossings, and communication. It describes the various strategies (and the factors that influence decision making), for pedestrians as well as drivers, the combination of strategies and influencing factors, and communication between pedestrians and drivers. Risk strategies and risk combinations of different strategies are identified as well as risks and protective factors for both groups. Conflict situations (conflicts, near-misses, accidents) are discussed, and the causal processes that lead to them are described. The findings are interpreted in the context of the traffic environment.

Presentation from ICTCT Workshop, Maribor, 2013 (pdf)
Paper TRA Paris, 2014 (pdf)
Norbit conference, Copenhagen, 2013 (pdf)
Pedestrians and drivers: their encounters at zebra crossings (FTD 2014 konference, Varšava)
Chodci řidičům nevěří, ukázal průzkum u přechodů (www.idnes.cz, 14. 4. 2014)
On-site observation of driver-pedestrian interaction at zebra crossings (ICTCT workshop 2014, Karlsruhe, Německo, pdf)
On-site observation of driver-pedestrian interaction at zebra crossings in Urban settings (NTSA, 2015, Helsinky, Finsko, pdf)
Sucha, M., Dostal, D., & Risser, R. (2017). Pedestrian-driver communication and decision strategies at marked crossings. Accident analysis and prevention, 102, 41-50.