An Assessment of Traffic Safety Culture Related to Engagement in Efforts to Improve Traffic Safety [Summary Report]

Ward, Nic; Otto, Jay; Finley, Kari; Green, Kelly · 2016 · ROSA P / Western Transportation Institute

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Summary

This study investigates the concept of "traffic safety citizenship," a strategy that empowers the majority of safe road users to engage in prosocial behaviors to influence the smaller group engaging in risky driving practices. Rather than focusing solely on enforcement or education for offenders, the research aims to instill a shared sense of responsibility for the safety of others. The primary objective was to determine which aspects of traffic safety culture—specifically values, attitudes, and beliefs—predict engagement in behaviors such as asking others to wear seat belts or refrain from using cell phones while driving. The researchers developed a survey based on an augmented integrated behavioral model to measure these cultural factors. Highway safety staff from state Departments of Transportation identified the two most critical behaviors to address: seat belt usage and distracted driving via cell phone use. The survey examined engagement in these behaviors across four social relationship contexts: family, friends, acquaintances/coworkers, and strangers. After pilot testing with 75 participants, the instrument was administered nationwide via mailed paper and online surveys to capture a broader demographic, particularly younger adults. The final sample skewed toward older, more educated, and rural respondents, with a 24.4% response rate for the mailed portion. Data analysis focused on identifying shared values and determining which behavioral model components were most strongly associated with intervention behaviors. The findings revealed that approximately half of respondents had witnessed unsafe driving behaviors in the past year, and more than half of those witnesses intervened. Interventions were significantly more likely to occur with socially close individuals, such as family and friends, than with strangers. Crucially, the study found that favorable attitudes toward intervening (injunctive norms) were already widespread among both interveners and non-interveners. However, the perception that most people intervene (descriptive norms) was the strongest predictor of actual behavior. Significant differences were observed in the comfort and confidence levels of those who intervened frequently compared to those who rarely or never did. Additionally, individuals who intervened more often were more supportive of policy strategies, such as primary seat belt laws and workplace rules, to address these safety issues. The study concludes that improving traffic safety does not require changing public attitudes, which are already largely supportive, but rather requires bolstering individuals' comfort and confidence in intervening and reinforcing the perception that such interventions are typical. The authors recommend developing interventions, such as role-playing or education campaigns, to teach successful intervention techniques. Furthermore, they advocate for coupling these efforts with policy strategies, including primary seat belt laws, workplace policies, and family rules. These measures create an "expressive law" context that codifies shared norms, empowering individuals to act against risky behaviors and fostering a community-wide culture of safety citizenship.

Key finding

Perceived descriptive norms were the strongest predictor of intervention behavior, and respondents were significantly more likely to intervene with family and friends than with strangers.

Methodology

survey

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• traffic safety culture
• seat belt use
• public messaging
• passenger effects
• cultural cross national
• behavioral adaptation risk compensation

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation, policy recommendations
• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence