SIMPAS: A lVIODEL OF THE FLOW OF TRAFFIC AT PEDESTRIAN CROSSINGS

Abstract

In Hungary and in France, just like to the rest of European countries, one third of the casualties of accidents on the roads is constituted by pedestrians. Analysing traffic acci- dents and getting know better the behaviour of the participants in public transportation by scrutiny can help create safer conditions on the roads. This article is aimed at presenting the basic features and characteristics of SIMPAS: a simulationai model of public transportation worked out by INRETS (France) in close cooperation with the Faculty of Transportation Engineering at the Technical University of Budapest. The simulational model and computer simulation programme has been developed to facilitate the study of the behaviour of pedestrians and drivers in traffic. The underlying conception behind the model is that individual situations in public transportation are de- termined from moment to moment by the impacts made by the participants of traffic upon each other. They constantly communicate with one another, and make their decisions in- dependently on the basis of their own inner qualities, as well as pieces of information stemming from the environment. This model-based computer simulation programme provides the analyst with a com- prehensive set of data. about the momentary state of the traffic and its participants. The programme makes it possible to carry out comparative analyses concerning the flow of traffic at pedestrian crossings equipped with different techniques of traffic control.