The attitudes and behaviour of adolescent road users : an application of the theory of planned behaviour

The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was used as a framework to study the attitudes of adolescent road users towards four target behaviours: (1) cycle helmet use, (2) using nearby crossings, (3) crossing from between parked cars, and (4) challenging traffic. Four questionnaires, one for each of the behaviours, were designed based on pilot work. Each questionnaire contained items to measure the TPB variables, self-reported behaviour, and general exposure and demographic characteristics (e.g. age and gender). A total of 2,457 children aged 11-16 completed the questionnaires; 564 respondents completed the 'cycle helmet use' questionnaire; 657 respondents completed the 'using nearby crossings' questionnaire; 619 respondents completed the 'crossing from between parked cars' questionnaire; and 617 completed the 'challenging traffic' questionnaire. Multivariate analyses were conducted for each of the behaviours to explore how adolescents' attitudes, subjective norms, perceived control, behavioural intentions and self-reported behaviour differed as a function of demographic variables. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were then conducted to test the relationships in the TPB and to identify beliefs underpinning adolescents' attitudes that could be targeted in road safety interventions. This report describes all aspects of the study and discusses the theoretical and practical implications

Adolescent road user behaviour : a survey of 11-16 year olds

This study was carried out to investigate the safety related behaviour of road users aged 11-16. A self-completion questionnaire was designed to measure the frequency with which children from the target population carry out 43 different road using behaviours and a number of other variables including children's beliefs about the safety of their own road using behaviour. Two thousand four hundred and thirty three children from eleven secondary schools within England completed the questionnaire in lesson time at school. Factor analysis showed that scores on the 43 behaviour items were best represented by a three-factor solution. The three factors were named unsafe road crossing behaviour, dangerous playing in the road, and planned protective behaviour. Analysis of variance and stepwise multiple regression analyses showed that demographic variables and exposure variables had statistically significant effects on how often these behaviours were carried out. More interesting was the finding that respondents had realistic perceptions of their own behaviour as road users. The more respondents believed their road using behaviour to be unsafe and irresponsible, the more often they reported carrying out road using behaviour that was undesirable from a road safety point of view. These results and their implications for road safety interventions and further research are discussed

A community approach to road safety education using practical training methods : the Drumchapel project

Research shows that practical training methods, in which children receive guided experience of solving traffic problems in realistic traffic situations, are amongst the most effective in improving children's pedestrian competence. However, practical training is both time consuming and labour intensive, making it difficult to capitalise on the strengths of the method. The report describes a solution to this problem by adopting a community participation approach in which local volunteers carried out all roadside training, working in co-operation with schools and project staff. The project took place in an area of Glasgow known for its exceptionally high child pedestrian accident rate

The accident risk of motorcyclists

This report contains the findings of a study to explore and quantify the interacting influences which determine motorcyclist accident liabilities. It was conducted on behalf of Road Safety Division, Department for Transport. The study first reviewed existing data sources to investigate the trends in motorcycling accidents over the last decade or so. The main part of the study was to carry out a survey of nearly 30,000 current motorcyclists in order to explore the relationship between accident risk and variables such as annual mileage, age, experience, journey type, training, personal characteristics of the riders, and the self-reported behaviours and attitudes of the riders. The numbers of accidents reported by riders within the past 12-months of riding were modelled using generalised linear techniques to take into account factors such as mileage, age, experience, bike size and the conditions prevailing when they rode. Models of rider behaviour were developed using other statistical modelling techniques. These models investigated how attitudes/motivations/perceptions and rider style influence rider behaviour, and how rider behaviour influences the likelihood of accident involvement. The influence of age, sex and experience on attitudes and behaviours, and as direct or indirect influences on accidents were also investigated. Accident risk was also directly influenced by the number of miles ridden in the past 12-months. The report makes a number of recommendations for improving the safety of motorcycle riders

Child development and the aims of road safety education

Pedestrian accidents are one of the most prominent causes of premature injury, handicap and death in the modern world. In children, the problem is so severe that pedestrian accidents are widely regarded as the most serious of all health risks facing children in developed countries. Not surprisingly, educational measures have long been advocated as a means of teaching children how to cope with traffic and substantial resources have been devoted to their development and provision. Unfortunately, there seems to be a widespread view at the present time that education has not achieved as much as had been hoped and that there may even be quite strict limits to what can be achieved through education. This would, of course, shift the emphasis away from education altogether towards engineering or urban planning measures aimed at creating an intrinsically safer environment in which the need for education might be reduced or even eliminated. However, whilst engineering measures undoubtedly have a major role to play in the effort to reduce accidents, this outlook is both overly optimistic about the benefits of engineering and overly pessimistic about the limitations of education. At the same time, a fresh analysis is clearly required both of the aims and methods of contemporary road safety education. The present report is designed to provide such an analysis and to establish a framework within which further debate and research can take place

Road design measures to reduce drivers' speed via 'psychological' processes : a literature review

Excessive driving speed is a major concern for road safety, with speed having an adverse effect on the number and severity of road traffic accidents and on a number of measures associated with quality of life. One potentially useful way to reduce drivers' travelling speeds might be through the use of road design measures which influence drivers' speed via intrinsic, or psychological, means of control. This report presents a review of such measures within the framework of relevant psychological theory and knowledge about driver behaviour. The research is funded by the Charging and Local Transport Division of the Department for Transport

Road safety behaviour of adolescent children in groups : final report

In Britain, the number of children killed or seriously injured as pedestrians peaks in the first few years of secondary school. Previous studies have shown that adolescents are more likely to be travelling in a same age group than younger children, and that 54 percent of child pedestrians aged 11-16 involved in an accident reported that they were with their friends at the time; a higher percentage than that reported by younger casualties. This project aimed to determine whether adolescents in groups behave differently with regard to attention paid to road safety than when they are on their own, and to determine in what ways behaviour differs and why. The research programme included analysis of child accident data, a questionnaire survey and focus groups with school children, video surveys of child pedestrians, and a review of relevant literature. This study has shown that around two-thirds of adolescent accidents occur while they are walking or cycling in groups, but this largely reflects the fact that similar proportions of their walking and cycling is done in groups. However, there are differences in attitudes and activities among boys and girls at different ages, which do impact on their road safety related behaviour. The age range 13-14 are more at risk than older or younger children when in groups. Individually adolescents behave less safely when in groups, but they are aware of this and it does not generally result in more accidents as the behaviour of the group as a whole, and perhaps their visibility to motorists, tends to mitigate this. The exception to this appears to be boys aged 13-14, who tend toward more 'planned' risky behaviour. Both exposure and accidents appear to be high for small groups (i.e. with one to three friends), and more risky behaviour is undertaken and the level of distraction due to chatting is high for those in such small groups. However, some children believe their behaviour is more sensible, and that they are safer when with just one friend. For girls, group activity becomes increasingly important through adolescence, and there is some evidence that the risk to girls is higher when they are with friends than when they are alone. For boys, mid-adolescence risky behaviour trying to impress peers gives way to a tendency to more trips being made alone or in pairs by the age 15-16

A review of motorcycle training

This report summarises the findings from an in-depth study undertaken during 2005 in order to obtain an understanding of how current motorcycle training operated, and to obtain views from training organisations and from 'umbrella' organisations on how training was being delivered and how it could be improved. Specifically the project objectives were to identify participants' views on the core training and skills required by motorcyclists and to investigate what was considered 'best' training practice. The report presents a view of motorcycle training that takes account of material obtained from a range of project tasks (interviews, surveys and observation), specific relevant EU projects, together with the team's knowledge of the general literature and research thinking on driver/motorcycle training, testing and licensing. The report discusses ways in which some of the issues in motorcycle safety might be addressed by means of training and related interventions. It makes suggestions for good practice when delivering training and also identifies some changes to the testing/training/licensing system that could be considered as ways of improving motorcycle safety

Monitoring and evaluation of safety measures for new drivers

Following a consultation paper issued by the Secretary of State for Transport in summer 1993, four new measures were introduced to improve the safety of new drivers. These were pre-driver education (a pre-driver education package 'Drive' for schools and colleges was launched in 1996), theory testing (introduced in 1996), post-test training (Pass Plus was launched in 1995), and the re-testing of novice drivers who offend (the Road Traffic New Drivers Act, 1995 came into force in 1997). TRL was contracted by the then DETR to monitor and evaluate each of these new safety measures. The research showed limited evidence for small beneficial effects on young drivers; attitudes, behaviour, driver knowledge and offence rates

Psychological traffic calming

Excessive and inappropriate speeds are a major concern for road safety. Such speeds have an adverse effect on the number and severity of road traffic accidents and significantly reduce the quality of life in many urban and rural areas. Physical traffic calming measures - road humps and chicanes, for example - can generate substantial reductions in vehicle speeds and accidents, but can be unpopular. On behalf of the Department for Transport, TRL has developed and tested alternative traffic calming techniques that make greater use of psychological (non-physical) measures, but are intended to still have a significant speed-reducing capability. Psychological theories that provide insight into how specific road design measures might reduce driving speeds are reviewed. Ideas for traffic calming based on these principles are illustrated using photomontage and evaluated by means of focus groups, a questionnaire survey, on the TRL Driving Simulator and finally in on-road trials