MANAGING TRAFFIC BEHAVIOUR. A THEORETICAL EXAMINATION OF AGGRESSIVE DRIVING THROUGH A MARKOVIAN MODEL

Driving safety is a major concern all around the world of both the concerned authorities and the general public. In the context in which aggressive driving behaviour is generally considered to be a major cause of traffic accidents, the study of such a problem can help policy-makers in their endeavour to design better programs that aim at reducing aggressive driving behaviour. The purpose of the present paper is to analyse the above-mentioned problem by considering short- and medium-term alternative measures in terms of social cost. The optimal combination of short- and medium-term solutions will be shown to depend on the drivers' level of aggressiveness, which, naturally, also depends on the gap between the existent infrastructure and the volume of motorized traffic. Special attention is given to the impact of civic campaigns on the level of aggressiveness.