Road safety: Research from developmental psychology perspectives

The article outlines the main trajectories of research connecting the fields of traffic and developmental psychology. It describes foundations of the development of core pedestrians' skills, such as road-crossing and route choice, in children and emphasized unique parental contribution to the development of these skills. It analyzes the reasons for risky behavior of adolescent pedestrians and drivers: age-specific cognitive processes of risk assessment and peer pressure. The risk of road accidents is proved to be unequal for different groups of children and adolescents: the significant factors include gender (boys and young men are much more frequently involved in road accidents) and family social status (low socioeconomic status correlates with higher risk). This review can be used for preventive work with children and adolescents as the most vulnerable group of road and transportation users

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