A Sociological Approach to Traffic Engineering The Study of the Effects of Cultural and Social Structures on Traffic and Traffic Engineering

Compared with engineers, sociologists make clear distinctions between human being's behavior and unwanted results of that behavior. The results people try to achieve may be different from those really achieved. Through the achieved results we can understand a lot about human being's logical behaviors, societies, and culture. That is, culture andsocial behavior patterns can, to a great extern, affect traffic engineer's efficient and lofical plans. Some sociologists believe that human affairs are conducted by illogical tensions, rather than logical ones. That is, they are mainly based on what engineers think and do. However, human beings tend to show their actions logical. Therefore, to understand people's traffic behavior we dont have to be necessarily a competent engineer or designer. On the contrary, in most cases, to be ordinary and popular seems much moreeffective. In the present paper, first the importance of social and cultural attitudestowards traffic, and the influence of social variations on it, with social and cultural considerations, rather than engineering ones, is explained. Then, the role of social behaviors patterns in the process of traffic projects performance is discussed. Finally, bilateral effects of culture and social structures on traffic and traffic engineering have been emphasized.