Abstract
Background: Although pedestrian-vehicle accidents are often the results of risky behaviors during road crossings, there is limited evidence concerning the risky road crossing behaviors of pedestrians. This study was aimed at eliciting and exploring the reasons that can help explain why young pedestrians take risky road crossing behaviors. Methods: 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 analyzed, assisted by MAXQDA 10. Results: Three main categories emerged as social reasons for risky road crossing behaviors 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: The risky road crossing behaviors 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 behaviors in crossing the roads influenced the risky behaviors. Hence, personal, cultural and social interventions could be effective in promoting the young pedestrians’ behavior.
Highlights
Pedestrians are one of the most victims of car accidents especially in countries with poor road traffic laws and policies to improve pedestrian safety.[1]
This study provided a new perspective about the reasons for the risky road crossing behaviors of the young pedestrians in Tehran
Each of these categories is extensively discussed as follows: Conformity with the masses/crowds The young pedestrians believed that conformity with the masses/crowds was one of the main reasons for their risky road crossing behaviors. They believed that they have adopted the road crossing behavior from other pedestrians. This can be understood from the expression of one of the participants who states: “...When I found that other pedestrians crossed the street in potential risky situations, I did the same and crossed the street like them.”
Summary
Pedestrians are one of the most victims of car accidents especially in countries with poor road traffic laws and policies to improve pedestrian safety.[1]. Pedestrian-vehicle accidents are often the results of risky behaviors during road crossings, there is limited evidence concerning the risky road crossing behaviors of pedestrians. This study was aimed at eliciting and exploring the reasons that can help explain why young pedestrians take risky road crossing behaviors. Results: Three main categories emerged as social reasons for risky road crossing behaviors 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: The risky road crossing behaviors of young pedestrians are found influenced by the pedestrian attitudes towards the political, social, cultural and economic condition of the society. Popular culture and collective behaviors in crossing the roads influenced the risky behaviors. Personal, cultural and social interventions could be effective in promoting the young pedestrians’ behavior
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