Chapter II
Review Related Literature and Studies
This chapter presents a review of conceptual and research literature. The information researched
and gathered by the researchers will be presented in this chapter and will be discussed according
to concept.
Conceptual Literature
In some places traffic volume is consistently, extremely large, either during periods of time
referred to as rush hour or perpetually. Exceptionally, traffic upstream of a vehicular collision or
an obstruction, such as construction, may also be constrained, resulting in a traffic jam. Such
dynamics in relation to traffic congestion is known as traffic flow. Traffic engineers sometimes
gauge the quality of traffic flow in terms of level of service (Kerner, 2009).
Some governments are spending millions or billions to maintain highway traffic each year.
Traditionally, this use to be done by highway personnel, however, this had a high operating cost.
Cameras, sensors and signs are continued to be installed in order to warn people of on coming
traffic. This has led to a high initial cost in purchasing these highly technologically advance
equipment. It is due to these reasons that governments are now looking for a cheaper alternative
to these solutions in maintaining highway traffic (Marsh, 1927).
It is the policeman who marks the origin of modern traffic control. He represents sa system of
rules and enforces them, apprehending violators. But he does more than this he also directs the
traffic and his professional presence keeps traffic from degenerating into a stall. As Burton
Marsh wrote in 1927. The officer can take advantage of variations in the volume of traffic on the
two streets and give to each street that proportion of time best suited to it at that minute." In the
beginning, each officer was a responsive, real-time traffic control system (Paxton, 1969).
There were problems with this immediately. It was difficult enough for any single officer to
coordinate his activities with another officer, one block away. But it was practically impossible
for that officer to work with officers at the four adjoining intersections, each of whom might be
coordinating with three more intersections, and so on, throughout the urban grid (Kerner, 2009).
A very early experiment with non-human control occurred in London in 1868. There, the first
ever traffic signal using colored lights was installed at a busy intersection near the Houses of
Parliament. These gas-powered semaphores attracted throngs of Londoners, and merchants,
selling food and drinks, rounded off the spectacle. Part of the intrigue of this sort of innovation
was the premise that a machine could do some aspect of the policeman's job.
Research Literature
Traffic psychology is a discipline of psychology that studies the relationship between
psychological processes and the behavior of road users. In general, traffic psychology aims to
apply theoretical aspects of psychology in order to improve traffic mobility by helping to
develop and apply accident countermeasures. As well as by guiding desired behaviors through
education and the motivation of road users (Paxton, 1969).
Behavior is frequently studied in conjunction with accident research in order to assess causes and
differences in accident involvement. Traffic psychologists distinguish three motivations of driver
behavior: reasoned or planned behavior, impulsive or emotional behavior, and habitual behavior.
Additionally, social and cognitive applications of psychology are used, such as enforcement,
road safety education campaigns, and also therapeutic and rehabilitation programs (Marsh,
1927).
Broad theories of cognition, sensory-motor and neurological aspects psychology are also applied
to the field of traffic psychology. Studies of factors uch as attention, memory, spatial cognition,
inexperience, stress, inebriation, distracting/ambiguous stimuli, fatigue, and secondary tasks such
as phone Conversations are used to understand and investigate the experience and Actions of
road users (Kerner, 2009).
Complexity of carrying out health promotion work in the accident prevention This exploratory
study into an important problem has highlighted the area. It has raised issues for research
methodology, and has suggested fruitful avenues for more work. The dominant discourse of
contemporary health promotion tends to see fatalism as atavistic and unhelpful. However,
fatalism may be a rational perspective in the social and economic circumstances There are
measures which can be taken, however, to reduce accidents and their effects, and people’s beliefs
should not be taken to mean that they are satisfied with the safety condition. Discussion of
preventative actions need to incorporate a wider range of factors, such as cultural beliefs and
understanding, and accidents need to be placed within a social, economic and political context.
There needs to be an increase in resources given both to research to understand the problem, and
to tackling it (Marsh, 1927).
