Search Results (30)

Walking and cycling, as active modes of transportation, play a vital role in advancing sustainable urban mobility by reducing emissions and improving public health. However, widespread adoption faces challenges such as inadequate infrastructure, safety concerns, socio-cultural barriers, and policy limitations. This study systematically reviewed 56 peer-reviewed articles from 2004 to 2024, across 30 countries across five continents, employing the Capability, Opportunity and Motivation-Behaviour (COM-B) framework to identify the main drivers of walking and cycling behaviours. Findings highlight that the lack of dedicated infrastructure, inadequate enforcement of road safety measures, personal and traffic safety concerns, and social stigmas collectively hinder active mobility. Strategic interventions such as developing integrated cycling networks, financial incentives, urban planning initiatives, and behavioural change programs have promoted increased engagement in walking and cycling. Enhancing urban mobility further requires investment in pedestrian and cycling infrastructure, improved integration with public transportation, the implementation of traffic-calming measures, and public education campaigns. Post-pandemic initiatives to establish new pedestrian and cycling spaces offer a unique opportunity to establish enduring changes that support active transportation. The study suggests expanding protected cycling lanes and integrating pedestrian pathways with public transit systems to strengthen safety and accessibility. Additionally, leveraging digital tools can enhance mobility planning and coordination. Future research is needed to explore the potential of artificial intelligence in enhancing mobility analysis, supporting the development of climate-resilient infrastructure, and informing transport policies that integrate gender perspectives to better understand long-term behavioural changes. Coordinated policy efforts and targeted investments can lead to more equitable transportation access, support sustainability goals, and alleviate urban traffic congestion. Full article

Pedestrian safety is a growing global concern, particularly in urban areas, where rapid urbanization and increased mobile device usage have led to an increase in distracted walking. This study investigates the impact of technological distractions, specifically mobile usage (MU), on pedestrian behavior and safety at signalized urban intersections. Data were collected from 11 signalized intersections in New Delhi, India, using video recordings. Key inputs to the modeling process include pedestrian demographics (age, gender, group size) and behavioral variables (crossing speed, waiting time, compliance behaviors). The outputs of the models focus on predicting mobile usage behavior and its association with compliance behaviors such as crosswalk and signal adherence. The results show that 6.9% of the pedestrians used mobile phones while crossing the road. Advanced machine learning models, including Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN), Long Short-Term Memory networks (LSTM), and Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN), have been applied to analyze and predict MU behavior. Key findings reveal that younger pedestrians and females are more likely to exhibit distracted behavior, with pedestrians crossing alone being the most prone to mobile usage. MU was significantly associated with increased levels of crosswalk violation. Among the machine learning models, the CNN demonstrated the highest prediction accuracy (94.93%). The findings of this study have a practical application in urban planning, traffic management, and policy formulation. Recommendations include infrastructure improvements, public awareness campaigns, and technology-based interventions to mitigate pedestrian distractions and to enhance road safety. These findings contribute to the development of data-driven strategies to improve pedestrian safety in rapidly urbanizing regions. Full article

Pedestrian safety is a critical concern worldwide, as pedestrians account for nearly a quarter of all road crash deaths. In Poland, in the last decade, the number of pedestrians killed in road accidents varied from 25 to 30% of all road accident victims each year. A similar tendency is observed in EU countries, but the average number of pedestrian fatalities is lower and amounts to 20%. Numerous activities have been undertaken to improve the safety of vulnerable road users. Land planning plays a crucial role in enhancing pedestrian safety. Effective land-use planning can mitigate risks by integrating pedestrian-friendly infrastructure into urban design. Numerous measures have been implemented to improve the safety of vulnerable road users, including education campaigns, speed reduction measures, and infrastructure enhancements. One of the latest initiatives involves enhancing the visibility of pedestrian crossings through the installation of additional lighting systems. In order to assess the effects of the undertaken activities, a number of zebra crossings with and without additional luminance were investigated. Crash data gained from police statistics, along with the calculated crash rates (CRs), were utilized to evaluate changes in safety performance at selected crosswalks. For this purpose, a „before–after” method was applied. Importantly, the research results did not show a clear impact of additional lighting on reducing the number of road crashes and they highlight that other factors, including the geometric characteristics of crossings and their location and proximity to land uses generating significant pedestrian traffic, significantly influence crash rates. Full article

Yaoundé, the capital of Cameroon, is one of the cities in the country most affected by road traffic crashes. Despite the measures taken by authorities, the human factor remains a major cause of these crashes. This study aimed to evaluate the measures taken to reduce the risk-taking behaviors of collective taxi drivers in Yaoundé. A survey of 144 collective taxi drivers was conducted to gather information on their driving habits, adherence to, and perceived effects of safety regulations. The study revealed the following prevalence of risky driving behaviors among collective taxi drivers: 41.33% for impaired driving; 67% for speeding, 62% for disobeying traffic lights, 68.86% for distraction; and 67% for risky maneuvering on the road. Significant associations were found between risk perceptions and involvement in risky driving behaviors. Associations were also established between the frequency of police inspections and involvement in risky behaviors, between the participation in training programs on safety issues and using poorly maintained vehicles, and between the frequency of awareness campaigns and poor maneuvering on the road. To address these issues, it is essential to strengthen preventive measures on risk factors, raise awareness on a large scale and on a regular basis, and strictly enforce the existing regulations. Full article

Traffic accidents represent a major problem worldwide. Public and private entities launch communication campaigns in order to educate the population about this problem. The aim of this study is to analyze the evolution of the presence of road safety in the Spanish media and its influence on the reduction of road accidents. A content analysis of six major Spanish newspapers between 2000 and 2008 (an important period in the reduction of the accident rate in Spain) was carried out in which the presence of news related to traffic accidents and the intensity of them were quantified using a set of criteria designed for this study. Furthermore, the correlation between the accident rates and the presence and intensity of news in the same time frame was measured. There has been an evident increase in the news related to traffic accidents during the analyzed period, both in terms of the presence of such news in general and in terms of intensity. The correlation analysis also shows a strong relationship between the increase in news presence and intensity and a sharp fall in accident rates in Spain. Although correlation analysis is not enough to establish a causal relationship between the variables studied here, the findings suggest that informative campaigns had a positive effect on encouraging pro-social behavior, were successful in disseminating related information, and, therefore, contributed significantly to lowering accident rates, although that was not the only reason. Full article

Freight transportation, dominated by trucks, is an integral part of trade and production in the USA. Given the prevalence of large truck crashes, a comprehensive investigation is imperative to ascertain the underlying causes. This study analyzed 2017–2021 Texas crash data to identify factors impacting large truck crash rates and injury severity and to locate high-risk zones for severe incidents. Logistic regression models and bivariate analysis were utilized to assess the impacts of various crash-related variables individually and collectively. Heat maps and hotspot analysis were employed to pinpoint areas with a high frequency of both minor and severe large truck crashes. The findings of the investigation highlighted night-time no-passing zones and marked lanes as primary road traffic control, highway or FM roads, a higher posted road speed limit, dark lighting conditions, male and older drivers, and curved road alignment as prominent contributing factors to large truck crashes. Furthermore, in cases where the large truck driver was determined not to be at fault, the likelihood of severe collisions significantly increased. The study’s findings urge policymakers to prioritize infrastructure improvements like dual left-turn lanes and extended exit ramps while advocating for wider adoption of safety technologies like lane departure warnings and autonomous emergency braking. Additionally, public awareness campaigns aimed at reducing distracted driving and drunk driving, particularly among truck drivers, could significantly reduce crashes. By implementing these targeted solutions, we can create safer roads for everyone in Texas. Full article

The remarkable impact that e-scooters have had on the transportation system drives research on this phenomenon. The widespread use of e-scooters also poses several new safety issues, which should be necessarily studied. The aim of this paper points in this direction, investigating the main contributing factors, causes, and patterns of recorded e-scooter crashes, considering also different crash types and severity, using the City of Bari (Italy) as a case study. The crash dataset based on police reports and referring to the period July 2020–November 2022 (i.e., the first period of e-scooter implementation in the City of Bari) was investigated. Crashes were clustered according to several variables. No fatal crashes occurred, even though crashes mostly resulted in injuries (70%). Considering road type, divided roads were found to be less safe than undivided ones, due to higher mean speeds than on other roads and to a less constrained e-scooter driving behavior. Calm (off-peak) daytime hours seem to lead to more frequent e-scooter crashes with respect to both peak and nighttime hours, even if the latter hours are associated with an increased severity. Once controlled for exposure, season, lighting conditions, and the private/sharing ratio do not seem influential. E-scooters are more prone to be involved in single-vehicle and pedestrian crashes at segments than other vehicles, but they show similar crash trends than other vehicles (i.e., angle crashes) at intersections. As emerged from traffic surveys, not all e-scooter users were found to use cycle paths. Combining this information with crash data, it seems that not using cycle paths is considerably less safe than using them. Besides engineering measures and policies, awareness campaigns should be promoted to elicit safe users’ behavior and to tackle the several violations and misbehaviors emerging from the crash data. Full article

Road accidents are a leading cause of death in Thailand, with increasing fatalities. Despite road safety campaigns during holidays, consistent communication is lacking in daily life. This research aimed to create Line application stickers, a top chat platform for Thailand, using the participatory design (PD) approach. PD was implemented in two steps. Firstly, 100 participants outlined character types, moods, tones, and communication objectives. They recommended lively animal characters with diverse texts, such as greetings, work, travel, and emotions. Then, through a focus group, the tortoise was identified to represent cautious drivers who follow traffic rules, the rabbit to represent fast and risky drivers, and the zebra to represent vigilant and disciplined traffic police officers as characters for Line stickers. Subsequently, using the semiotics approach, 40 Line stickers were designed, and embedded with denotative and connotative road safety messages. Secondly, feedback from the focus group, integral to the PD process, led to refinements. After launching, a survey of 50 users showed “Benefits Received”, “Text and Messages”, and “Meaning” dimensions received “Very Satisfied/Strongly Agree” ratings. The “Character” dimension received a “Satisfied” rating. The results for “Benefits Received” can also be analyzed in the context of the Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice (KAP) theory, which revealed that K and A were at the highest level, while P was at a high level. This suggests that the Line stickers designed in this study effectively conveyed road safety messages to the receivers. This research constitutes the pioneering exploration within the realm of Line stickers concerning road safety, signifying the originality and unique contribution of our research to the existing body of knowledge in this domain. The PD process in this research can serve as a guideline for creating safety-promoting media in diverse fields. Full article

The growth of micromobility transport in cities has created a new mobility paradigm, but this has also resulted in increased traffic conflicts and collisions. This research focuses on understanding the impacts of micromobility vehicles on pedestrian injury severity in urban areas of Spain between 2016 and 2021. The Random Forest classification model was used to identify the most significant factors and their combinations affecting pedestrian injury severity. To address the issue of unbalanced data, the synthetic minority oversampling technique was employed. The findings indicate that pedestrians’ age, specifically those 70 years or older, is the most important variable in determining injury severity. Additionally, collisions at junctions or on weekends are associated with worse outcomes for pedestrians. The results highlight the combined influence of multiple factors, including offenses and distractions by micromobility users and pedestrians. These factors are more prevalent among younger micromobility users and those riding for leisure or on weekends. To enhance micromobility road safety and reduce pedestrian injuries, separating micromobility traffic from pedestrian areas is recommended, restricting micromobility vehicle use on sidewalks, providing training and information to micromobility users, conducting road safety campaigns, increasing enforcement measures, and incorporating buffer zones in bike lanes near on-street parking. Full article

The public decision-making process at the municipal level becomes extremely complicated for government managers when unpopular measures must be adopted. In this sense, citizen participation processes become a tool of undoubted added value that allows municipalities to adapt their policies to the needs and feelings of their inhabitants. The aim of this research was to focus on addressing the point of view of the citizens of a medium-sized Spanish city in the face of the imminent implementation of a low-emission zone, in order to identify which aspects were of concern to citizens. The methodology used in the research was based on a declared preferences survey that allowed us to determine the daily behaviour of the user in terms of urban mobility and to anticipate the citizen’s reaction to the implementation of socially unacceptable initiatives, such as restrictions on access, circulation, and the parking of vehicles. The results obtained in relation to the consultation on alternative measures to tackle pollution, noise and traffic jams showed that citizens are receptive to improvements in universal accessibility, subsidies for public transport, increased road safety for PMV’s infrastructure, subsidies for the purchase of environmentally friendly vehicles and PMV, and the promotion of pedestrianisation. However, there are undoubted threats to the implementation of the LEZ, such as the lack of acceptance of the measure. Therefore, it is considered imperative for public administrations to work on the search for sustainable actions that contribute to improving the degree of compliance with the measure, while at the same time making an effort to disseminate the advantages of the LEZ for the quality of life and health of citizens (through information campaigns). There is a knowledge gap in scientific research on the ex ante assessment of the effects of possible transport measures to improve air quality in city centres and consultation through citizen participation. It is estimated that the resolution of this research gap could contribute to a more feasible, reasonable, and effective implementation of various urban mobility policies in medium-sized Spanish cities. Full article

Nowadays, it is relatively common to follow traffic rules, such as wearing a helmet and fastening seat belts, but accidents are increasing daily. Concerned with these traffic safety issues, this study focuses on the psychology of bike riders. First, a brief questionnaire is prepared by filtering some significant traffic safety factors. For effective results and analysis, a questionnaire survey (i.e., interviews) is conducted across different road junctions in Sargodha, Pakistan, with the assistance of traffic police. The data is analyzed through a multiple regression analysis, forming a different model for effective outcomes. A risk compensation hypothesis theory is considered; based on the questionnaire designed and the input received from participants, three models are developed with significant variables. The first two models evaluate the physical impact of helmets on riders/cyclists, while the third observes changes (in terms of obeying traffic laws) in behavior when wearing a helmet. It has been observed that cyclists wearing helmets may follow zigzag patterns while wearing helmets, which may cause accidents. Moreover, it has been observed that cyclists wearing helmets may be more responsible regarding traffic rules. These problems should be considered in creating effective traffic safety campaigns and policy making. Full article

Road traffic crashes are a leading cause of death for young people. Aberrant driver behaviors, such as drink driving, speeding, not wearing seatbelts, non-compliance with traffic rules and aggressive driving, are key contributors to these crashes. Gender and urban/rural differences are also risk factors. In Serbia, where this study was conducted, as well as in most European countries, younger people have the highest road crash and fatality risk. Thus, it is important to understand not only when these behaviors occur, but also the attitudes surrounding them. The latter will provide an avenue for intervention. To address this, a mixed design study was conducted, using a quantitative survey, focus groups and in-depth interviews to understand the attitudes and safety behaviors of young people (aged 16–25) in Serbia. Results across all methods showed that attitudes and perceptions regarding road safety differ across gender and location (urban/rural). Young drivers reported frequent engagement in alcohol-impaired driving, speeding, non-using seatbelts and using mobile phones while driving. Dominant attitudes underlying these behaviors related to lower perceived risk and a lack of perceived enforcements. These results show support for education campaigns in improving the risky behavior of young drivers. Full article

The safety of pedestrians, such as workers who largely walk to and from work, has not been given sufficient attention, especially in the area of traffic safety in developing countries, including Bangladesh. Although the National Road Safety Strategy has a very strong emphasis on road safety education and publicity campaigns, the road safety knowledge may not have reached these vulnerable road users who most needed them. Moreover, little is known about the penetration rate of these campaigns and who have benefited or not benefited from them. On the other hand, the developing country, like Bangladesh, is heavily dependent on its Readymade Garment (RMG) workers for earning foreign currency, and walking is one of the major mode of transports of those workers. The objective of this study is to identify those who are not reach by the safety education. Results from a survey of 1020 RMG workers around Dhaka identified several socioeconomic, demographic, travel characteristics and accident experience that affect the most vulnerable segments who are left out of the system. The findings of this study would help the policy makers to arrange necessary road safety education for the most vulnerable cohorts of pedestrians to encourage the continued use of this sustainable mode of commute. Full article

Non-fatal injuries (NFIs) due to road traffic accidents (RTAs) are a public health problem worldwide that significantly impacts the population morbidity and healthcare costs. As the demands for vehicles in developing countries, such as Malaysia, is increasing annually, the present study aims to determine the prevalence and factors associated with NFIs due to RTAs among Malaysia’s adult population. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 15,321 participants from the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological (PURE) study conducted in Malaysia. Participants reported whether they had experienced an NFI that limited their normal activities within the past 12 months. Data on risk factors for NFIs were elicited. Multiple logistic regression models were fitted to identify the associated factors. Results: Overall, 863 participants (5.6% of 15,321) reported at least 1 NFI in the past 12 months, with 303 caused by RTAs (35.1%), 270 caused by falls (31.3%) and 290 attributed to other causes (33.6%). The factors associated with higher odds of sustaining an NFI due to an RTA were being male (adjusted odd ratio (AOR) 2.08; 95% CI 1.33–3.26), having a primary (2.52; 1.40–4.55) or secondary (2.64; 1.55–4.49) level of education, being overweight to obese (1.40; 1.01–1.94), being currently employed (2.03; 1.31–3.13) and not practicing a noon nap/siesta (1.38; 1.01–1.89). Conclusions: The occurrence of NFIs due to RTAs is highly preventable with strategic planning aimed at reducing the risk of RTAs among the Malaysian population. Interventions focusing on protecting road users, especially those who drive two-wheelers, with proactive road safety awareness and literacy campaigns, combined with strict enforcement of the existing traffic laws and behavioural modifications, may reduce the risk of NFIs following RTAs. Full article

Speeding is one of the most relevant risk behaviours for serious and fatal road traffic accidents, particularly among young drivers, being the cause of approximately every third road traffic accident. Due to this background, many road traffic safety campaigns are aimed at reducing speeding among young drivers. However, the effects of campaigns aimed at complying with speed limits for young drivers have significantly fewer effects than other campaigns. For these reasons, an experimental study was conducted to examine how young drivers react to the speeding campaign, which was shown to them on a smartwatch while driving in a driving simulator. Speeding results were compared for three scenarios: no campaign, a billboard campaign and a smartwatch campaign. The experiment involved 102 participants with an average age of 21 years. The results showed that participants were six times more likely to comply with the speed limit if a campaign was shown on a smartwatch than when shown on billboards. Full article