In an interview conducted by journalist Dilek Bozkurt within the scope of Traffic Week, Prof. Dr. Mustafa Ilıcalı examined Turkey's traffic problem. Ilıcalı took a scalpel to Turkey's traffic problem. While revealing every detail from the adequacy of the legislation to the risk of “stimulated demand”, from the penalty system according to income to the radical deficiencies in driver training, he made statements that will be talked about a lot, from the regulation of fines according to income to the logic change in EDS.
HALKWEB - The failure to achieve a permanent decrease in accident statistics despite the annual Traffic Week in Turkey has brought the deficiencies in the system to the agenda again. Prof. Dr. Mustafa Ilıcalı emphasized that the problem stems not from the lack of legislation, but from the continuity of implementation and supervision in the field.
”THE WEAKEST LINK IS IMPLEMENTATION“
Stating that the legislation is at international standards, Ilıcalı said that the main issue is the “perceived risk of being caught”. Stating that drivers should feel that they can be inspected at any time, not just at checkpoints, Ilıcalı said, “If traffic safety is a chain, the weakest link in this chain is the implementation. Inter-institutional coordination and a data-based approach are essential.”.
THE “SMALL MISTAKE” REVOLUTION IN EDUCATION
Stating that engineering solutions (road geometry, smart signaling) can only be a short-term dressing for the problem of disrespect and impatience in traffic, Ilıcalı argued that the permanent solution lies in education. The project, carried out in cooperation with Istanbul Commerce University and the Ministry of National Education “There are no small mistakes in traffic” project, the expert shared the following details:
Consciousness at an Early Age: Preschool and primary school children are educated through theater, interactive games and seminars.
The Butterfly Effect: The aim is for the trained children to raise awareness among their own families.
Perception Change: The awareness that even the smallest violation can have fatal consequences is instilled at an early age.
Prof. Dr. Mustafa Ilıcalı
DRIVING COURSES SHOULD BE REVISED
Stating that labeling of accidents as ’human error“ is misleading, Ilıcalı said the system makes the driver vulnerable to error. He said that existing courses only teach driving, but are insufficient in areas such as risk perception, danger prediction and stress management. He emphasized that simulation-supported trainings and psychotechnical evaluations in developed countries should become widespread in Turkey.
”BUILDING NEW ROADS COULD WORSEN TRAFFIC”
Referring to the traffic congestion in metropolitan cities like Istanbul, Ilıcalı drew attention to the danger of “induced demand”. He explained that although new roads and tunnels create short-term relief, in the medium term they encourage people who quit public transportation to use private vehicles, making traffic even more unmanageable. He pointed to rail systems and holistic transportation planning as solutions.
“BRAKE LAMP” Era in EDS Must End
Ilıcalı argued that the working principle of Electronic Supervision Systems (EDS) should be changed and said, “Spot checks only slow down the driver in front of the camera. However, corridor-based inspection (average speed measurement) is a disciplinary mechanism that obliges the driver to obey the rules along the entire route.”.
A PROPOSAL FOR “SOCIAL JUSTICE” IN PENALTIES: Penalty According to Income
Stating that the current penal system damages the perception of justice, Prof. Dr. Ilıcalı cited European models as examples:
”While fixed fines are a deterrent for low-income earners, they do not have the same effect for high-income earners. Setting penalties according to income provides equal deterrence for all individuals. For this, the legal infrastructure and social acceptance process should be managed.”
“Defensive Driving” ADVICE TO NEW DRIVERS
At the end of the interview, Ilıcalı addressed the young people who are about to get behind the wheel and reminded them that driving is not a freedom but a responsibility. “You are responsible not only for your own mistakes but also for the mistakes of others,” he said, reminding once again the vital importance of following distance, the necessity of speed limits and the fact that distractions (phones, etc.) invite accidents.
Here is the Full Interview:
“Traffic Week” is celebrated every year in Turkey, but why can't we achieve the permanent decrease in accident statistics that we want? Is the main problem legislation or implementation?
Traffic safety is not an awareness issue limited to certain days and weeks; it is a multidimensional system management problem that requires continuity. When we look at the existing legislation in Turkey, we see that many regulations, from speed limits to drunk driving, from seat belt requirements to inspection mechanisms, are close to international standards. Therefore, the problem is largely not a lack of legislation. The real problem is the extent and consistency with which this legislation is implemented on the ground. Periodic increases and decreases in inspections do not create a permanent behavioral change in drivers. However, what is essential in traffic safety is that the driver thinks that he/she can be inspected at any time, i.e. that the “perceived risk of being caught” is high. In addition, lack of coordination between institutions, inadequacies in data sharing and problems of harmonization between local and central governments also reduce the effectiveness of the system. If traffic safety is a chain, the weakest link in this chain is enforcement. Therefore, a continuous, integrated and data-based implementation approach should be adopted for lasting success.
Can we overcome the problem of “disrespect” and “impatience” in traffic with an engineering solution or with a long-term educational reform?
Behavioral problems such as disrespect and impatience in traffic cannot be solved by a single method; such problems require a multi-layered approach. In the short term, engineering solutions are highly effective. For example, changing road geometry, physical speed reductions, smart signaling systems and electronic monitoring infrastructures can directly influence driver behavior. Such applications enforce the right behavior without leaving it to the driver's choice. However, such solutions only control behavior, not change it permanently. Education is essential for lasting change. Traffic culture is a consciousness that should be imparted from an early age. Traffic education in schools should be transformed from theoretical to practical and behavior-based. At the same time, social awareness campaigns should be sustained. In conclusion, while engineering solutions provide quick results, education provides social transformation in the long term. These two approaches should be implemented together and simultaneously.
In this context, the “No Small Mistakes in Traffic” project, carried out by the Association of Common Sense Projects in Traffic, of which I am the president, Istanbul Commerce University, of which I am a member, and the Ministry of National Education, is an education and awareness model that aims to radically change the perspective on traffic safety. The main objective of the project is to raise awareness, especially among children, that minor violations in traffic, which are often ignored, can actually lead to fatal consequences. In this context, it is aimed to eliminate the tendency of individuals to justify their mistakes and to establish the perception that every rule violation carries a serious risk.
The project aims to raise traffic awareness at an early age, with a particular focus on pre-school and primary school children. To this end, traffic rules are taught to children in a fun and lasting way through theater performances, interactive games, seminars and training programs, and it is also aimed to raise the awareness of their families. Thus, it is aimed to ensure a behavioral transformation not only at the individual but also at the social level. Another important goal of the project is to create a sustainable awareness on traffic safety by reaching large masses. In this context, we aim to raise awareness throughout the country with the public service announcements and youtube broadcasts we have prepared as an association.
More than of accidents are reported as ’human error“. Do you think driving school trainings are enough to minimize these errors?
The categorization of the vast majority of accidents as “human error” often leads to a misperception. This statement does not mean that the fault lies solely with the driver; on the contrary, it indicates that the system makes the driver vulnerable to error. An analysis of current driving school education shows that it is largely exam-oriented, theoretical and rote-learning based. However, in the modern traffic safety approach, driver training is not limited to teaching driving. Skills such as developing risk perception, anticipating danger, attention management and making the right decision under stress should be acquired.
In developed countries, simulation supported trainings, night driving experiences, practices in different weather conditions and psychotechnical evaluations are part of the training process. In Turkey, such practices are very limited. Moreover, traffic safety is not only about drivers; pedestrians, cyclists and other road users are also part of the system. Therefore, training should be restructured to cover all segments of society.
At this point “There are no small mistakes in traffic” approach plays a critical complementary role in the transformation of the education system. This approach aims to make drivers and all road users aware that even the smallest traffic violation can be the beginning of a chain of accidents. This awareness, especially at an early age, enables individuals to exhibit more careful and responsible behavior in the years to come. In other words, it is not just about teaching how to drive, but about radically changing the perception of error and risk awareness.
We live in one of the most congested cities in the world. Does building new roads and tunnels solve traffic congestion, or does it create “induced demand” and put more cars on the road?
It is not possible to solve the traffic problem in big cities only by building new roads and tunnels. In transportation planning literature, there is a concept known as “induced demand”. According to this concept, when you increase the existing road capacity, you provide relief in the short term, but in the medium and long term, this new capacity encourages more vehicles to use the roads and the traffic will return to its previous density, or even worsen. This is much more pronounced in metropolitan areas such as Istanbul. This is because the potential for car ownership and travel demand in the city is quite high. When a new road is opened, people who previously used public transportation or traveled at different times may switch to private cars. This makes the traffic congested again. Therefore, a holistic approach to the transportation problem is necessary. Increasing public transportation investments, expanding rail systems, demand management policies and smart transportation systems should be planned together. New road investments are not completely unnecessary, but they are not a solution on their own and can exacerbate the problem if not supported by the right strategy.
Has the spread of Electronic Monitoring Systems (EDS) really changed driver behavior permanently?
Electronic Monitoring Systems are an indispensable tool in ensuring traffic safety and a control model that must be expanded. In today's traffic structure, it is not possible to provide continuous and effective control only through physical control. For this reason, EDS has become one of the most critical components of the system by ensuring the continuity of control.
However, current practices show that EDS systems largely operate with a point-based control logic. This does not change driver behavior permanently. Since drivers know the camera points, they only reduce their speed when approaching that point and return to their old driving habits after passing the inspection point. This makes the effect of the system limited and temporary.
At this point, it should be emphasized that the main approach should be corridor-based inspection. In other words, not a specific point, but an entire route should be monitored. With methods such as average speed measurement, the behavior of the driver should be controlled not only momentarily, but also throughout the entire route. This approach makes it mandatory for the driver to comply with the rules throughout the entire travel time, not at a specific point.
Corridor-based EDS applications reinforce the perception of constant supervision in drivers, which leads to a permanent change in behavior. Thus, the system becomes not only a structure that detects violations, but also a mechanism that disciplines driving behavior.
In conclusion, EDS systems are absolutely necessary, but to be truly effective, they need to evolve from a point-based inspection to a corridor-based, continuous and holistic inspection approach.
What do you think about the deterrence of current traffic fines? Can models such as a system of fines based on income be implemented in Turkey?
The deterrence of traffic fines is directly related not only to the amount of the fine, but also to the frequency of inspections and the probability of being caught. The fixed penalty system in Turkey has different effects on different income groups. While it is a serious deterrent for low-income individuals, it does not have the same effect on high-income groups. This situation may also damage the perception of justice. The income-based penalty system implemented in some European countries aims to eliminate this problem. In this model, the amount of punishment is determined according to the income of the individual, thus ensuring equal deterrence for each individual. Implementation of this system in Turkey is technically possible; however, it requires accurate and up-to-date integration of income data, the establishment of a legal infrastructure and social acceptance. The most important point to keep in mind, however, is the likelihood of enforcement rather than the size of the fine. If drivers think that they will not be caught when they violate the rules, even the highest fines will be ineffective. Therefore, the penalty system and inspection mechanisms need to be strengthened together for deterrence.
What are the three most vital pieces of advice you would give as a “teacher” to young people who are about to get behind the wheel during Traffic Week?
The most important message for new young drivers is that driving is not a freedom but a great responsibility. First of all, it is important to draw attention to the issue of speed. Speed is the most important determinant of traffic accidents, and as the laws of physics dictate, as speed increases, both the stopping distance increases and the severity of the collision increases exponentially. Therefore, speed limits are not a suggestion but a vital necessity. Secondly, a defensive driving approach should be adopted. In traffic, you are responsible not only for your own behavior but also for the mistakes of other drivers. Being right does not prevent an accident; the important thing is never to have an accident. Therefore, always assume that other drivers may make mistakes. Thirdly, attention management is critical. Any distraction, especially cell phone use behind the wheel, invites an accident. The only thing to focus on while driving is the road. Traffic is not a field of competition, but a common use area and should be acted with this awareness.