Try to picture a young cyclist nervously trying to work a busy intersection while a driver honks impatiently behind them. Then, across town, a newly licensed 19-year-old driver hesitates before making a turn, unsure about giving way to pedestrians.
These everyday road scenarios highlight a critical gap in our approach to road safety, or the lack of understanding between different road users. But what if the solution lies in a generation that experiences roads differently?
Understanding Road Empathy
Unlike traditional enforcement-focused strategies that rely on fines and penalties, road empathy emphasises understanding the experiences and vulnerabilities of all road users.
Research from Swinburne University of Technology defines road empathy as the ability to recognise and consider the experiences of others sharing the road. Their research shows that empathy-based approaches can be particularly effective for young drivers and vulnerable road users (VRUs).
‘The years between 18 and 25 are critical, as many young people transition from being vulnerable road users, pedestrians, or cyclists to drivers or motorcyclists,’ notes the Swinburne research team. ‘While this demographic will continue to be VRUs, they learn new behaviours and form new perceptions about VRUs as they commence driving.’
This empathy-based approach doesn't replace traditional methods like enforcement and engineering improvements. Instead, it addresses the human factor often missed by traditional approaches, and our ability to understand and respect others on the road.
The Multi-Modal Generation
Generation Z (born roughly 1997-2012) is one of the first groups to grow up with widespread access to various transportation options. They regularly travel as pedestrians, cyclists, public transport users, rideshare passengers, and drivers.
As teenagers, most Gen Zers are primarily pedestrians or cyclists. Then, entering adulthood, they become drivers but retain the memory and awareness of being a VRU. This change affects how they see danger and how they care about other people on the road.
The statistics make this age group particularly important for road safety efforts. Young drivers aged 17-25 have a risk of crash involvement that's four times higher than other age groups in the first months after getting their licence. High rates of risk-taking behaviours, along with a lack of experience, contribute to these troubling numbers.
Gen Z's experience with different modes of transport helps them to become more empathetic when needed. Having experienced the vulnerability of cycling alongside fast-moving traffic or the frustration of being a pedestrian ignored at a crossing, they can relate to the challenges faced by different road users when they become drivers themselves.
Also read: National Road Safety Week: The reality of Australia's road toll
The Psychology Behind Road User Conflict
Road user conflict often stems from psychological factors that go beyond simple rule-breaking. In-group/out-group dynamics play a significant role, drivers often perceive cyclists and pedestrians as obstacles or rule-breakers, while VRUs may see drivers as careless or hostile.
Research on self-compassion and emotional regulation provides valuable insights into these conflicts. Individuals with higher emotional regulation and self-compassion are less likely to engage in aggressive or risky behaviours on the road. When we humanise other road users, seeing them as people with families and feelings rather than obstacles, we're more likely to behave considerately.
When people stereotype, it often makes people care less about each other. The cyclist becomes ‘those lycra-wearing road hogs’ rather than ‘Sarah, the nurse trying to stay fit while commuting to her hospital shift.’ The truck driver becomes ‘that slow, annoying truck’ rather than ‘Dave, the father of three trying to safely deliver goods on a tight schedule.’
When we break down these stereotypes, we create empathy, and this is where Gen Z's multi-modal experience creates a unique advantage. As they’ve previously experienced multiple perspectives, they're potentially better equipped to resist these dehumanising stereotypes.
Case Study: Humanising Truck Drivers
A powerful example of road empathy in action comes from the React programme, which challenged university students to create media that presented truck drivers as relatable, vulnerable individuals.
The campaign showed truck drivers not as faceless operators of large vehicles but as parents and partners with fears and families. By highlighting truck drivers' personal stories, the campaign countered the ‘othering’ that often occurs on the road.
The results were interesting. Young drivers who viewed the campaign reported greater awareness of the challenges faced by truck drivers, such as blind spots and vehicle limitations.
More importantly, they indicated a willingness to adjust their own driving behaviours, such as not cutting in front of trucks and understanding why trucks need more space to manoeuvre and stop.
Queensland Context and Opportunities
High rates of young driver fatalities and injuries, especially in regional areas, make Queensland a prime candidate for innovative approaches that go beyond traditional enforcement. The tensions between heavy vehicles and private motorists on major freight corridors could be addressed through empathy-building campaigns similar to the truck driver initiative.
Queensland's fast-growing cities are leading to more transport hubs where different road users interact frequently. These spots are a good place to test out empathy-based programmes that address both drivers and VRUS.
By adding empathy messages to driver education, it could help young Queenslanders develop safer attitudes from the start. Campaigns in high-risk areas that focus on shared experiences and mutual understanding could help address any local challenges.
Also read: Global Innovations in Road Safety: Protecting Vulnerable Users
Expert Perspectives on Changing Road Culture
Road safety experts increasingly recognise that while infrastructure and law enforcement are vital, cultural and attitudinal shifts achieved through empathy-based interventions are needed for sustained safety improvements.
The Swinburne research identified five categories of persuasive messages found in road safety campaigns: reason, negative emotions, positive emotions/social values, threats of enforcement, and humour. Among these, empathy and social value messaging are seen as especially effective for young audiences.
Experts from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety note that ‘road safety is not a rational considered-purchase decision. Road safety is an impulse decision that requires constant, high, top-of-mind product promotion.’
Mary Gordon, founder of Roots of Empathy, offers a perspective that's relevant to road safety: ‘In society, we generally measure what we treasure. Traditionally, schools have measured children's competence in subject areas. Roots of Empathy measures the affective side of children's knowledge, understanding, and attitudes.’ This principle could be applied to measuring and valuing road empathy in our transportation systems.
Experts generally agree that an effective approach requires changes in legal culture and driving culture, rather than putting the whole responsibility on car companies and highway authorities. This represents a significant shift from traditional approaches that focus primarily on enforcement and engineering solutions.
The Way Forward: Leveraging Gen Z's Unique Perspective
Gen Z's multi-modal transportation experience provides an opportunity to transform road safety. By making the most of their perspectives, we can develop more effective road safety initiatives that create empathy among all road users.
Practical approaches might include:
- Digital platforms that track and reward multi-modal transportation choices, encouraging young people to experience roads from different perspectives
- Gamified learning experiences that simulate different road user perspectives
- Educational programs that specifically address the transition period between being VRUs and becoming drivers
- Community-based programs that bring together different road user groups for dialogue
The goal isn't to replace traditional road safety measures but to complement them with approaches that address the human factors at play in road safety. By creating a sense of empathy on our roads, we can create environments where all users feel respected and protected.
As Gen Z assumes greater influence in shaping transportation policies and practices, their multi-modal perspective could be the key to transforming road safety from a compliance-based system to one built on mutual understanding and respect. The gap between different road users, drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, and others, could finally begin to close.
In a world where road users truly understand and consider each other's experiences, we might find that safety follows naturally from empathy.
