Examining the Influence of Traffic Enforcement on the Development of Traffic Safety Culture

Laiou, Alexandra; Veneris, Nikolaos; Provatari, Elena; Yannis, George · 2026 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1007/978-3-031-88974-5_48

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Summary

This study investigates how traffic safety culture, specifically regarding enforcement perceptions, influences the probability of road crash involvement among car drivers and motorcyclists in Greece. Motivated by Greece’s high road fatality rates compared to other EU nations and evidence that regional safety cultures differ significantly, the research aims to determine how enforcement attitudes and local behavioral norms predict crash risk. The authors sought to identify commonalities and distinctions between drivers in non-touristic Athens and touristic Rhodes, as well as between car and motorcycle users. Data were collected via a questionnaire survey of 503 private car drivers and motorcycle riders (321 in Athens, 182 in Rhodes). The survey captured background variables, expected driving behaviors at national and municipal levels, acceptance of traffic enforcement, personal enforcement experience, risk attribution, and crash involvement over the preceding two years. The authors developed five binary logistic regression models with crash involvement as the dependent variable. These models analyzed the overall sample, drivers in Athens, drivers in Rhodes, car drivers across both locations, and motorcycle riders across both locations. Statistical significance was determined using independent value significance levels below 0.05 and Hosmer-Lemeshow tests. The results reveal distinct behavioral patterns linked to crash risk. Across all models, higher driving frequency increased crash probability due to greater exposure. Drivers who did not view lack of enforcement as a major crash cause were 2.5 times more likely to be involved in crashes, suggesting they endorse riskier behaviors. In Athens, expecting fewer local drivers to follow rules correlated with a 64% lower crash probability, and women had a 42.9% lower risk than men. Conversely, in Rhodes, expecting fewer local drivers to follow rules increased crash likelihood by 6.5 times, likely due to strong social conformity pressures in the secluded island community. For car drivers, infrequent police checks correlated with a 49.2% lower crash probability, as drivers adopted safer behaviors in low-enforcement environments. Among motorcyclists, those with less than five years of experience were least likely to crash, possibly due to heightened caution. Older drivers (55+) and highly experienced motorcyclists (20+ years) showed higher crash risks, indicating that experience may foster riskier habits. The study concludes that traffic enforcement perceptions significantly shape safety culture and crash outcomes. Drivers generally recognize enforcement as crucial for safety, yet their behavioral responses vary by location and vehicle type. The findings suggest that increasing enforcement intensity, particularly targeting speeding and alcohol violations, could improve safety. Additionally, establishing local road safety observatories in areas like Greek islands could help tailor interventions to unique local cultures. The research highlights the need for region-specific safety strategies rather than uniform national approaches, emphasizing the role of social environment and enforcement visibility in shaping driver behavior.

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Topics

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• traffic safety culture
• cultural cross national
• sex gender

Information type

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• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation
• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence, crash risk outcomes