Exploring the influencing factors of public traffic safety awareness in China

Abstract

This research aims to develop a public traffic safety awareness questionnaire and explore the factors influencing public traffic safety awareness in China. A questionnaire survey was conducted with 5200 people in Jiaozuo, China, to assess their public traffic safety awareness. Based on 5029 effective samples, the developed public traffic safety awareness scale passed the reliability and validity tests and identified three factors: traffic safety behaviour, traffic safety attitude and traffic accident cognition. The Chinese version of the Traffic Climate Scale (three factors: external affective demand, internal requirements and functionality) and the Ten-Item Personality Inventory in China (five factors: extraversion, agreeableness, conscientiousness, emotional stability and openness) were also used in the questionnaire. The results of correlation analysis, difference analysis and multiple linear regression analysis show that in terms of individual factors, public traffic safety awareness is significantly related to age, education level, number of children and personality traits, and there are significant differences between genders and across occupations. In terms of environmental factors, public traffic safety awareness is significantly related to traffic safety education, traffic violation records, approval of traffic violations and traffic climate. Internal requirements, external emotional demands, conscientiousness and agreeableness can effectively explain and predict public traffic safety awareness. The research results provide a strong reference to help road traffic safety management departments formulate policies and play a positive role in preventing and reducing traffic accidents and ensuring public safety.