Appraisal or Selection: Comparative analysis of traffic risk perception of French and Dutch drivers

The aim of this research is to explain the difference in accident statistics in France and The Netherlands. It is examined whether a part of this discrepancy is due to a difference in risk perception. 1 000 residents of Enschede (The Netherlands) and 1 000 residents of Chartres (France) were asked to fill in a questionnaire on traffic risk perception; 95 of these cooperated. Respondents evaluated photographs of six intersections on risk perception. Half of the respondents received a questionnaire in which the photographs were manipulated so that the approach to the intersection had additional markings: peripheral transverse lining. French respondents preferred higher speeds than Dutch drivers. It is therefore concluded that French drivers respond differently to traffic hazards. It is also concluded that peripheral transverse lining is an effective method to decrease speeds in France. The last section of this article discusses the practical implications of this research