Behaviour and Safety
Human beings are at the heart of road traffic. They are the triggers, participants and designers of the daily traffic on our roads - all at one and the same time. Their attitudes and behaviour have a direct influence on traffic safety. The primary objective of safety research consists in reducing the accident figures and mitigating the results of an accident.
In order to be able to provide political decision-makers with scientifically sound advice, the BASt analyses the traffic safety situation, draws attention to safety potentials, develops safety measures and checks their efficiency.
Different motivations and aims of road users lead to different patterns of behaviour, which, in turn, can lead to conflicts that in the worst case result in a traffic accident. In the process, not only are vehicles damaged, but also people are injured or even killed. Such conflicts have to be identified and the accident risk of different road user groups be researched and prevented by the use of suitable measures. Furthermore, the BASt investigates the influence of illnesses, drugs and medicines on the fitness to drive and analyses the consequences of demographic change on road safety.
The focal points are the further development of standards in the fields of driving instruction, driving licence tests, further driver education and the rehabilitation of truck drivers just as much as general traffic safety work with young drivers.
The national driving licence procedure assessment centre of the BASt checks the technical expertise of the technical test centres (driving licence test), assessment centres for driving aptitude as well as places that conduct courses to restore car drivers' ability to drive. The assessments are a prerequisite for official recognition of the above institutions by the relevant state authorities.