Young pedestrians' behaviours and risk perception: a pilot study with Italian early adolescents. (October 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Salducco, Alice; Abati, Daniela; Bina, Manuela; Bertani, Barbara; Calarco, Santina; Balzarotti, Stefania; Biassoni, Federica
• Is Part Of: Transportation research. Volume 90(2022)
• Page Start: 512
• Page End: 523
• Publication Date: 2022-10
• Subjects: Risk perception -- Risk behaviours -- Pedestrian risk -- Early adolescence -- Independent mobility -- Risk measures; Automobile drivers -- Psychology -- Periodicals; Automobile driving -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; Transportation -- Psychological aspects -- Periodicals; 629.283019
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2022.06.006
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1369-8478

Abstract

Highlights: The study analysed risky pedestrian behaviours and risk perception in early adolescents. A video-scenario was used to investigate risk perception during a real dangerous jaywalking. The increment of independent mobility was associated with a greater involvement in risky pedestrian behaviors. Risk perception and the propensity to motivate risky behaviour predict early adolescents' involvement in risky pedestrian behaviours. Prevention could focus on both risk perception and the awareness of risky behaviours' motives. Abstract: This study aimed to investigate early adolescents' mobility, taking into consideration risky pedestrian behaviours around roads and their relationship with independent mobility and risk perception in different traffic situations. The participants were 922 students, males (48%) and females, aged 10–14 and who attended the seventh (51%) and ninth grades in a medium-sized city in southern Italy. They completed an anonymous self-report questionnaire at school, specifically designed for the research. Measures included mode of transport, level of independent mobility, frequency of risky behaviours as a pedestrian and risk perception of these behaviours. Moreover, students were asked to evaluate the risk, their likely behaviour, and likely motives for risky behaviour in a specific traffic scenario concerning a risky road crossing shown on a video. Gender and age differences were taken into consideration, and relationships between risky behaviour as a pedestrian, level of independent mobility and different measures of risk perception (concerning both risk behaviour as a pedestrian and in the video scenario) were investigated. Results showed that risky behaviours while travelling as a pedestrian were more widespread among ninth grade students and those who were more independent. Moreover, a strong relationship between a greater involvement in risky pedestrian behaviours and lower risk perception and a greater tendency to justify risky behaviours were found in the students. Results suggested the implementation of a prevention programme in early adolescence to improve both risk perception in specific traffic situations and the awareness of motives of risky road behaviours.