HOW YOUNG PEDESTRIANS DO EXPLAIN THEIR RISKY ROAD CROSSING BEHAVIORS? A QUALITATIVE STUDY

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Mina Hashemiparast and Hamid Allahverdipour

Maragheh University of Medical Sciences, Iran
Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Iran

: Int J Ment Health Psychiatry

Abstract

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Statement of the Problem: Pedestrians are one of the most victims of car accidents especially in countries with poor road traffic laws and policies to improve pedestrian safety. Although pedestrians are vulnerable and more at risk than other road, the illegal and unsafe road crossing behaviours of the pedestrians usually lead to the crashing accidents. There is limited evidence concerning the risky road crossing behaviours of pedestrians. This study was aimed at eliciting and exploring the reasons that can help explain why young pedestrians take risky road crossing behaviours. Methodology & Theoretical Orientation: A qualitative content analysis approach was conducted on purposefully selected young individuals who had the experience of vehicle-collision accident. Data collected by in-depth, semi-structured interviews until data saturation and concurrently analysed, assisted by MAXQDA 10. Findings: Three main categories emerged as social reasons for risky road crossing behaviours of the young pedestrians including ‘conformity with the masses/crowds’, ‘lack of social cohesion and sense of belonging in social relations’ and ‘bypassing the law/ law evasion’. Conclusion & Significance: The risky road crossing behaviours of young pedestrians are found influenced by the pedestrian attitudes towards the political, social, cultural and economic condition of the society. Moreover, popular culture and collective behaviours in crossing the roads influenced the risky behaviours. Hence, personal, cultural and social interventions could be effective in promoting the young pedestrians’ behaviour.

Biography

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