Investigating Young Male and Female Road Users’ Behaviour as Pedestrians and Drivers

Abstract

Young road users constitute one of the most vulnerable groups in terms of experiencing road traffic accidents as either drivers or pedestrians. Pedestrian and driver behaviours are important predictors of the road users’ safety. The present study mainly aims to investigate the relationship between behaviours of young male and female road users as drivers and pedestrians. A total number of 573 young road users (316 male, 257 female) aged from 19 to 28 (M = 22.2, SD = 1.77) participated in the present study. Participants were requested to fill out a questionnaire package including demographic information form as well as the Pedestrian Behaviour Scale (PBS), the Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) and the Positive Driver Behaviours Scale (PDBS). In line with the aims of the present study, first, the factor structure of the Pedestrian Behaviour Scale was investigated. Following that, gender differences in pedestrian and driver behaviours were examined. In terms of gender difference, males showed more pedestrian transgressions, pedestrian aggressive violations, driver aggressive violations, driver ordinary violations and fewer driver lapses compared to females. Moreover, aberrant pedestrian behaviours were positively related to aberrant driver behaviour, whereas positive pedestrian behaviours were negatively associated with aberrant driver behaviour. While pedestrian lapses and aggressive violations were negatively related to positive driver behaviours, pedestrian transgression and positive pedestrian behaviours were positively associated with positive driver behaviours. Overall, the results indicated that young road users who expressed more aberrant pedestrian behaviours also showed more aberrant driver behaviours. The results were discussed in relation to the administration of countermeasures against aberrant driver behaviours. Considering the consistency between displayed pedestrian and driver behaviours evidenced in the present study; focusing on different road user roles in detail was shown to be important especially for planning intervention programs for specific traffic conditions or driver behaviours. Additionally, investigating different roles that young road users have provides the literature with additional knowledge which could be reflected in field administrations in the complex and dynamic nature of the traffic environment.

Keywords

• Young road users
• pedestrian behaviours
• driver behaviours
• aberrant road user behaviours
• road safety

Genç Erkek ve Kadın Yol Kullanıcılarının Yaya ve Sürücü Davranışları Arasındaki İlişkinin Araştırılması

Abstract

Genç yol kullanıcıları, sürücü veya yaya olarak trafik kazalarına maruz kalma konusunda en savunmasız gruplardan birini oluşturmaktadır. Yaya ve sürücü davranışları, yol kullanıcılarının güvenliğinin önemli yordayıcılarındandır. Bu çalışmanın temel amacı, genç erkek ve kadın yol kullanıcılarının yaya davranışları ile sürücü davranışları arasındaki ilişkiyi araştırmaktır. Çalışmaya 19-28 yaş arası (M = 22.2, SD = 1.77) 573 genç yol kullanıcısı (316 erkek, 257 kadın) katılmıştır. Katılımcılar Yaya Davranışları Ölçeği (PBS), Sürücü Davranışları Ölçeği (DBQ), Olumlu Sürücü Davranışları Ölçeği (PDBS) ve demografik bilgi formundan oluşan bir anket bataryası tamamlamıştır. Çalışmanın amaçları doğrultusunda çalışmada ilk olarak yaya davranışları ölçeğinin faktör yapısı incelenmiştir. Bu aşamayı takiben, yaya ve sürücü davranışlarındaki cinsiyet farklılığı incelenmiştir. Cinsiyet farklılıkları açısından, erkekler kadınlara göre daha fazla yaya ihlalleri, yaya saldırgan ihlalleri, sürücü saldırgan ihlalleri, sürücü sıradan ihlalleri ve daha az sürücü dalgınlığı göstermiştir. Ayrıca, sapkın yaya davranışları sapkın sürücü davranışlarıyla pozitif ilişkili gösterirken, olumlu yaya davranışları sapkın sürücü davranışlarıyla negatif ilişki göstermiştir. Yaya dalgınlığı ve yaya saldırgan ihlalleri olumlu sürücü davranışlarıyla negatif ilişki gösterirken, yaya ihlalleri ve olumlu yaya davranışları olumlu sürücü davranışlarıyla pozitif ilişki göstermiştir. Genel olarak, sonuçlar daha fazla sapkın yaya davranışları gösteren genç yol kullanıcılarının aynı zamanda daha fazla sapkın sürücü davranışları gösterdiğini vurgulamaktadır. Bulgular sapkın sürücü davranışlarına karşı alınacak önlemler ile ilgili olarak da tartışılmıştır. Bu çalışmada belirtilen yaya ve sürücü davranışları arasındaki tutarlılık dikkate alındığında, farklı yol kullanıcısı rollerine ayrıntılı olarak odaklanmanın, özellikle belirli trafik koşulları veya sürücü davranışları için müdahale programlarının planlanmasında önemli olduğu gösterilmiştir. Ek olarak, genç yol kullanıcılarının sahip olduğu farklı rollerin araştırılması, alan yazına trafik ortamının karmaşık ve dinamik yapısında saha yönetimlerine yansıtılabilecek ek bilgiler sağlamaktadır

Keywords

• Genç yol kullanıcıları
• yaya davranışları
• sürücü davranışları
• sapkın yol kullanıcı davranışları
• yol güvenliği

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