The The Features of Students’ Awareness of Modern Road Safety Issues
Abstract
Purpose. To assess the level of students’ awareness of risky pedestrian behaviours, their attitudes towards road safety improvement measures, and their subjective perception of the safety of different modes of movement.
Method. A quantitative method of online surveying (Google Forms) was used in the study. A total of 410 students aged 16–23 from Ukraine (the city of Lviv) participated in the survey. An adapted ESRA 2 questionnaire was used, which included sociodemographic questions, an assessment of self-reported pedestrian behaviour, and perceptions of transport safety.
Findings. It was found that the most common types of risky behavior were using a mobile phone, crossing the road outside of a pedestrian crossing, and listening to music while walking (95%, 86%, and 75%, respectively). Students subjectively consider private cars to be the safest mode of transportation, although statistically, it is the most dangerous. Support for safety measures is higher for physical protective equipment (helmets, reflective clothing) than for restrictions on smartphone use. Gender and place of residence significantly influence pedestrian behavior.
Theoretical implications. The results confirm and extend existing concepts regarding the influence of cognitive and social factors on risky pedestrian behaviour. The study demonstrates the significance of digital distractions as an independent predictor of unsafe behaviour.
Practical implications. The obtained data can be used to develop educational programs in higher education institutions aimed at increasing students’ awareness of actual risks and effective safety measures. In addition, the results can serve as a basis for targeted social campaigns and for shaping public policy on the prevention of road traffic accidents.
Originality/Value. The paper offers a comprehensive analysis of self-declared pedestrian behavior among Ukrainian students in the context of modern digital culture, which has so far been virtually unexplored. Comparing the subjective assessment of transport safety with actual road traffic accident statistics makes it possible to identify significant cognitive distortions in risk perception.
Research limitations/Future research. The limitations of the study include the geographical sample (Lviv) and the self-declarative nature of the data, which may be accompanied by socially desirable responses. Promising directions for further research include experimental observations of actual pedestrian behavior, as well as expanding the sample to other regions of Ukraine and comparing different age groups.
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References
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