Driver and pedestrian behaviour significantly affect the safety and the flow of traffic at the microscopic and macroscopic levels. The driver behaviour models describe the driver decisions made in different traffic flow conditions. Modelling the pedestrian behaviour plays an essential role in the analysis of pedestrian flows in the areas such as public transit terminals, pedestrian zones, evacuations, etc. Driver behaviour models, integrated into simulation tools, can be divided into car-following models and lane-changing models. The simulation tools are used to replicate traffic flows and infer certain regularities. Particular model parameters must be appropriately calibrated to approximate the realistic traffic flow conditions. This paper describes the existing car-following models, lane-changing models, and pedestrian behaviour models. Further, it underlines the importance of calibrating the parameters of microsimulation models to replicate realistic traffic flow conditions and sets the guidelines for future research related to the development of new models and the improvement of the existing ones.

Road safety in primary school areas is a delicate issue due to the vulnerability of children as road users. They are inexperienced traffic participants and sometimes their behavior in traffic situations is unpredictable. This paper reports a safety analysis conducted using video processing of conflict trajectories of vehicles and active transportation users (AT users). The videos were collected using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) as this technology does not affect the actual behavior of traffic participants. Due to their airborne position, UAVs can conveniently gather information about driving behaviors and the exact positions of various participants. The safety analysis was conducted using surrogate indicators suitable for evaluating the risk of potential collisions as they incorporate both spatial proximity and speed. Three conflict indicators were used in the safety analysis: (i) time-to-collision, (ii) post-encroachment time, and (iii) heavy braking. The methodology was tested in a primary school area in the city of Zagreb. With the applied methodology, a total of 43 potential conflicts were identified in the school area (14 time-to-collision, 23 post-encroachment time, and 6 heavy braking). Based on the determined potential conflicts, safety measures were proposed to decrease the number and severity of potential conflicts and to increase traffic safety near school areas.

Prioritizing public transport is one of the most effective measure to increase the attractiveness and competitiveness of public transport in relation to individual vehicles. The main goal of this study was to examine the possibilities for reducing the travel time of tram vehicles by giving priority at signalized intersections in terms of sharing the traffic lane with personal vehicles and under conditions of strong conflict flows with private transport. For this purpose, we used the simulation tool VISSIM and its module EPICS. A methodology for determining weighting factors for prioritizing public transport flows was developed based on conflicting passenger flows in public transport vehicles and passenger cars. Three scenarios were tested in the study area: (1) “do nothing”; (2) unconditional priority; and (3) conditional priority. The results showed that unconditional priority led to unsustainable traffic conditions for personal vehicles and public transport. In contrast, conditional priority reduced the travel time of public transport on certain corridors by between 7.64% and 18.76% in the morning peak period, and 5.60% to 22.50% in the afternoon peak period.

This study investigates how perceived safety and interpersonal experiences in public space influence the comfort of walking in urban environments, using data from a recent survey conducted in Zagreb, Croatia. The survey collected 430 responses on walking comfort alongside perceived safety, reported conflicts with other space users (drivers, cyclists, pedestrians), and demographic background. Results indicate a strong and statistically significant association between walking comfort and perceived safety, suggesting that individuals who feel safer are also more likely to report a higher comfort level when walking. Additionally, there was a significant correlation between unpleasant interactions with other space users and lower comfort levels. In contrast, demographic variables such as gender and the presence of children in the household showed no significant relationship. These findings highlight the critical role of perceived safety and social dynamics in shaping walkability. The results have implications for urban design and policy, reinforcing the need to prioritise pedestrian-friendly environments that foster physical safety and positive social interactions.

Rapid urbanization in the last few decades has completely changed the mobility pattern in large and small cities, with an increase in traffic congestion, traffic accidents, and greenhouse gas emissions. With the implementation of the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (SUMP), the goal is to reduce the negative effects of traffic and achieve a shift towards sustainable mobility in the cities. This paper presents measures included in SUMP of the City of Dugo Selo that aim to achieve a change of mobility pattern in the city, based on information and suggestions received during the citizens and stakeholder’s workshops. The City of Dugo Selo represents the satellite city of Zagreb, where the population mobility activities are mostly related to commuting with private vehicles towards Zagreb. With the measures presented in the study, the main goal is to improve the use of public transport and to implement multimodality hubs for easy transfers between transport modes. Also, the study shows measures that are focused on reducing the road transit and private traffic in the city center to free up the space for pedestrians, and public and alternative transport modes to achieve positive effects in ecological and modal shift parameters. Presented work can be used as a guide for traffic planners that are developing measures for urban mobility development in smaller satellite cities of larger cities.