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Drivers’ Perspective on Traffic Safety and Impacts from the Surrounding Landscape: A Case Study of Serbia

Author

Listed:
  • Ivana Sentić

    (Department of Viticulture, Horticulture and Landscape Architecture, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • Ivana Živojinović

    (Department of Economics and Social Sciences, Institute of Forest, Environmental and Natural Resource Policy, BOKU University, 1180 Vienna, Austria
    European Forest Institute, Forest Policy Research Network, 1180 Vienna, Austria
    Centre for Bioeconomy, BOKU University, 1190 Vienna, Austria)

  • Jasmina Đorđević

    (Department of Geography, Tourism and Hotel Management, Faculty of Sciences, University of Novi Sad, 21000 Novi Sad, Serbia)

  • Jelena Tomićević-Dubljević

    (Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, Faculty of Forestry, University of Belgrade, 11000 Belgrade, Serbia)

Abstract

Due to the high volume of traffic on European highways and the increased percentage of traffic accidents and fatalities, traffic safety is imperative in the planning and design of highways. While highway safety design construction standards have been extensively researched, insufficient attention has been given to the influence of the surrounding landscape on traffic safety and to drivers’ awareness about the danger of the same. Thus, the aim of the research was to assess drivers’ perceptions of various factors impacting highway traffic safety (climatic impacts from the surrounding landscape, landscape vegetation that follows the roadway, and animals) beyond specific engineering features (roadway surface, traffic signs, highway junction points). A survey of 138 drivers was conducted to assess driver awareness of traffic safety on the research section of a highway in Serbia. This highway is part of the Serbian highway that is a key connection within the European road network, forming an integral part of several major routes. The survey revealed that drivers, regardless of gender or experience, primarily associate traffic safety with well-built roads and good visibility during driving. While the impacts of climatic elements from the surrounding landscape were acknowledged, drivers do not strongly attribute any danger to traffic safety from these factors due to their lack of visibility. This is reflected in the notable number of traffic accidents, impacted by these factors, on the studied highway (e.g., 12% of the total number of accidents during 2022). Vegetation and animals did not play a significant role in the respondents’ answers, which should not be the case; however, their absence in the highway landscape and along the roadway led to a lack of observed quality by drivers. This underscores the need for the scientific community and policymakers to delve deeper into these issues with a broader perspective, and to elevate highway safety standards accordingly.

Suggested Citation

  • Ivana Sentić & Ivana Živojinović & Jasmina Đorđević & Jelena Tomićević-Dubljević, 2025. "Drivers’ Perspective on Traffic Safety and Impacts from the Surrounding Landscape: A Case Study of Serbia," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(5), pages 1-25, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:5:p:1936-:d:1598774
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Derian Mowen & Yuvaraj Munian & Miltiadis Alamaniotis, 2022. "Improving Road Safety during Nocturnal Hours by Characterizing Animal Poses Utilizing CNN-Based Analysis of Thermal Images," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(19), pages 1-15, September.
    2. Xu Ding & Haixiao Wang & Chutong Wang & Min Guo, 2023. "Analyzing Driving Safety on Prairie Highways: A Study of Drivers’ Visual Search Behavior in Varying Traffic Environments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(16), pages 1-29, August.
    3. Laura Arnau-Sabatés & Mercè Jariot Garcia & Màrius Martínez Muñoz & Josep Montané Capdevila, 2013. "The relationship between awareness of road safety measure and accident involvement in pre-drivers: the basis of a road safety programme," Journal of Risk Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(5), pages 635-650, May.
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