With extreme weather events – such as hurricanes and floods – becoming more common around the world, traffic managers must face the challenge of evacuating large numbers of people at short notice. Psychologist Professor Nick Reed takes a look at how the general public might react to such orders and how social media and EVs might impact behavior
As weather forecasting improves, we are granted greater certainty over the time and location of forthcoming extreme weather events. This comes with the opportunity to manage evacuations more effectively.
However, the population affected by such weather events also has access to forecasting information and may be influenced by a variety of sources. Fear, and panic can cloud judgment, leading to impulsive decisions. Social media can help to resolve this by providing targeted information to affected communities, but it can also serve to exaggerate or misinform, causing behaviors that may delay or disrupt evacuation measures. Traffic managers must anticipate these behaviors and implement strategies to mitigate their impact. Clear and consistent information is essential to reassure the public and provide guidance.
“The role of technology in supporting evacuation response is growing”
Mental and physical demands on the personnel leading the response can be immense. Long hours, exposure to hazardous conditions and the emotional toll of witnessing harm can lead to burnout and impaired decision-making. Implementing robust support systems, including rest periods and mental health resources, is vital for maintaining operational effectiveness. This can be strengthened by training and preparation to help individuals develop experience needed for emergency response.
The role of technology in supporting evacuations is growing. It can be as simple as chatbots for communicating with citizens over a critical situation, through to AI tools that can support effective management and movement of people and resources during an evacuation. These work in tandem to support leadership and decision making by experienced emergency responders to minimize harm and accelerate the post-incident recovery.
While evacuating people using traditional vehicles has its challenges, the transition to EVs may also change how we manage evacuations. Demand for vehicle charging infrastructure may exceed supply in the days and hours before an evacuation and weather-related power cuts may hamper those trying to charge from home. Looking further ahead, automated vehicles will similarly impact evacuation procedures. In one version of the future, AVs could be used to optimize the movement of people and supplies towards safety. A more dystopian view would see AVs favoring communities more able to afford to use such vehicles in times of high demand. But with ride-hailing companies already heavily criticized for increasing prices during natural emergencies, we can hope for better in the automated future.
As climate change increases the frequency and intensity of extreme weather events, the importance of effective evacuation management cannot be overstated. Of course, technology will play a key role in improving how we protect communities from harm and in maximizing our effective use of resources. However, recognizing the critical role of human factors is the first step towards building robust and resilient transportation systems that meet the challenges posed by extreme weather evacuations.
Nick Reed is CEO of Reed Mobility
This column first appeared in the September 2024 edition of TTi
