Relationship Between Traffic Rule Violations and Socio-Economic Structure of Young Drivers in Turkey: Aydın and Malatya Examples

Abstract

Studies based on socio-economic data shows that, young drivers have more tendencies to traffic rule violations and play significant role on traffic accidents caused by sensation seeking and lack of experience. For this reasons Turkey, which is a country with large youth bulge, must be subjected to studies on young driver behaviors.Main objective of this study is to determine obedience of young drivers (18-29 ages) to traffic rules and to analyze relationship of traffic rule violations with variables such as socio-economic structure and driving experience etc. In this study, four main traffic rules indicating driver tendencies and also significant in traffic accidents are analyzed, which are red light violation, seatbelt violation, speed limit violation and drink driving. To analyze relationship of traffic rule violations and driving behaviors in detail, face to face survey data is used. Surveys which consist of personal information and traffic rule violation sections are conducted in central districts of two cities of Turkey with similar size but different cultural structure, Aydin and Malatya In Aydin 417 and in Malatya 400 Survey data of 18-29 age-old drivers with driving licence and at least one year driving experience, used in this study. Relationship between socio-economic variables, driving behavior variables and traffic rule violation tendency is analyzed using binary logit statistical models. As a result socio-economic, demographic and driving behavior variables of young drivers which are effective in traffic rule violations are determined.