Citation

Schagen I, Eenink R, Nes N. Proc. Road Saf. Four Continents Conf. 2010; 15: 200-207.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2010, Conference Sponsor)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

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Abstract

The number of road fatalities in Member States is decreasing too slowly to meet the EU targets.A new generation of measures is needed, underpinned by a new generation of research methods. Recent technology developments allow for this: naturalistic observations or naturalistic driving. The recently started European project PROLOGUE aims to prove the feasibility and usefulness of a large-scale European naturalistic driving study. In the typical naturalistic driving study, traffic situations and drivers are studied unobtrusively by using small cameras and other equipment, placed in drivers' own cars, during day-to-day trips, and without the presence of a test supervisor. Results will lead to a better understanding of the factors that affect road safety and the ways to improve it. PROLOGUE consists of various activities, including the identification of relevant application areas and research questions, the identification of currently available technology for collecting, storing and analyzing data, and an inventory of methodological, organizational and legal issues. In five different small-scale field studies several issues are piloted in practice. Substantial effort is put into communication and dissemination in order to gain the support for and involvement in a large-scale European study of a wide variety of stakeholders, including car industry, insurance companies, driver training and certification organizations, road authorities, and governments. Whereas road safety is the main motive, the project will also look at the relevance for environmental issues, e.g. CO2 emissions, and traffic management. PROLOGUE is part of the seventh Framework Programme of the European Commission and started on 1 August 2009. The project will run for two years. The consortium consists of nine partner institutes, co-ordinated by SWOV Institute for Road Safety.