Safety Culture: Examination of Safety Attitudes Across Transportation Modes

Abstract

Transportation safety is a top priority for all agencies, although traffic fatalities remain a leading cause of death in many age groups. One traditional approach to safety is a multifaceted strategy that addresses the 4 E’s: education, enforcement, engineering, and emergency response. In recent years, some agencies have also undertaken collaborative initiatives such as Toward Zero Death programs in an effort to increase safety. Although roadway fatalities have decreased, there is still opportunity for improvement. Many research studies have identified factors that correlated with roadway crashes (e.g., geometric factors) and have documented the impact of mitigation measures, such as roadway improvements, policy changes (e.g., speed limits), and safety programs (e.g., distracted driving campaigns). Although crashes may be considered an unavoidable consequence of mobility, fatality rates vary dramatically by transportation mode, and the impressive safety record in aviation suggests that fatalities should not be considered inevitable. This research explores safety attitudes and practices for young adults in the aviation and roadway sectors, examines differences in safety training for roadways and aviation that may contribute to a positive safety culture, and identifies practices in aviation that may be beneficial in the roadway sector. In addition to providing a benchmark for the current safety culture and comparing attitudes and practices in the roadway and aviation environments, this research lays a foundation to develop best practices that will contribute to a positive safety culture, improve safety, and reduce the costs associated with roadway crashes.