Drivers’ Knowledge, Attitude and Practices Towards Traffic Rules and Regulations
DOI: 10.33492/jrs-d-24-3-2313777
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Summary
This study investigates the knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) of drivers regarding traffic rules and regulations in Karachi, Pakistan, addressing the high prevalence of road crashes attributed to driver fault in low- and middle-income countries. Motivated by data indicating that approximately 75–80% of crashes are caused by driver negligence and that Pakistan suffers from one of the highest road crash rates globally, the research aims to identify specific gaps in driver compliance and awareness. The authors posit that inadequate knowledge, negative attitudes toward regulations, and poor enforcement mechanisms contribute significantly to unsafe driving behaviors. The researchers employed a cross-sectional survey design, utilizing a structured questionnaire with closed-ended questions to collect data from 260 drivers in Karachi between February and March 2023. The instrument assessed socio-demographic profiles, knowledge of road safety rules, attitudes toward traffic laws, and actual driving practices. The sample was predominantly male (75%) and young, with the majority (55%) aged between 18 and 33 years. Notably, most participants were self-taught or learned from friends/family, with only 5% having attended formal driving schools. Statistical analyses, including Pearson correlations and regression models, were used to examine relationships between demographic factors, KAP variables, and driving behaviors. The findings reveal significant deficiencies in driver knowledge and compliance. While awareness of helmet use (74.6%) and seat belt importance (64.6%) was relatively high, 54.6% of drivers did not know the speed limit in residential areas, and 45.4% considered drug use while driving non-dangerous or opposed penalties for violations. Attitudinally, 45.8% of drivers deemed driving licenses unnecessary, and nearly half expressed discomfort with seat belts or dislike for helmets. Practically, risky behaviors were prevalent: 65% used mobile phones illegally, 62.3% sped when in a hurry, and 36.5% drove under the influence of drugs. Furthermore, 51.2% of respondents lacked a driving license. Statistical analysis demonstrated that knowledge and attitude significantly predicted driving practices, with a regression model explaining 27.8% of the variance in practices. Gender differences were also significant, with males exhibiting higher knowledge and more positive attitudes than females. The study concludes that low levels of driver knowledge, negative attitudes toward safety measures, and a lack of value placed on driving licenses are critical factors contributing to road crashes in Karachi. The authors argue that the current informal mechanism for obtaining driving licenses, which often bypasses testing, exacerbates these issues. They recommend strengthening enforcement through sufficiently deterring penalties, enhancing public communication campaigns, and establishing a formal, centralized mechanism for issuing driving licenses based on rigorous knowledge and skill tests. These interventions are deemed essential for improving driver compliance and reducing the high burden of road traffic injuries in Pakistan.
Provenance
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| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discover | success | OpenAlex-citations | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-20 |
| archive | success | unpaywall | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-26 |
| extract | success | cached | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-26 |
| clean | success | clean | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-20 |
| chunk | success | chunk | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-20 |
| embed | success | embed | Qwen/Qwen3-Embedding-8B | — | 1 | 2026-06-20 |
| promote | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-20 |
| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant | summ-v5 | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
| tag | success | vector_similarity | — | — | 6 | 2026-06-20 |
| verify | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-26 |
Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-26; verification: verified.
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- Applied Guidance: policy recommendations
- Empirical Findings: observational prevalence