a preliminary study of road-user behaviour in developing countries

road-user behaviour was studied at traffic signals, uncontrolled pedestrian crossings and priority junctions in a number of cities in developing countries. a comparison with similar observations made in great britain indicated that drivers were more likely to continue past red traffic signals and that they were less prepared to stop for pedestrians on crossings in the third world cities than they were in great britain. fewer pedestrians chose to use the crossings in these cities, and, on average, they took longer to cross, partly because they were delayed whilst crossing whereas such delays rarely occurred in great britain. it is not known whether these differences in behaviour have led to more accidents but, because these differences exist, it is not possible to assume that the effects of introducing a remedial measure aimed specifically at changing or modifying road user behaviour in a developing country would be the same as in great britain.(a)