ORIGINAL PAPER
Behavior and awareness of road traffic hazards among pedestrians in Poland under 18 and over 65 years of age
 
More details
Hide details
1
SGGW
 
These authors had equal contribution to this work
 
 
Submission date: 2023-11-28
 
 
Final revision date: 2024-05-03
 
 
Acceptance date: 2024-05-15
 
 
Publication date: 2024-06-27
 
 
Corresponding author
Konrad Michalski   

SGGW
 
 
JoMS 2024;56(2):416-436
 
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
Objectives:
Examining similarities and differences in road behavior and knowledge about selected aspects of road safety in two different age groups of pedestrians, i.e. people under 18 and over 65 years of age.

Material and methods:
The analysis is based on a study conducted using a survey questionnaire in the period December 20, 2022 - June 1, 2023. 625 people took part in the study, 268 people under 18 and 357 people over 65.

Results:
Research shows that both groups tend to engage in dangerous behaviors. Young people are more likely to cross the road in unauthorized places and to cross pedestrian crossings without traffic lights, using mobile phones and headphones. Older people are less likely to wear reflective elements. Awareness of selected threats in both age groups is low.

Conclusions:
The research shows that both young and older people do not always behave safely on the road. People under 18 are more often responsible for dangerous behavior at pedestrian crossings. Another important problem is the lack of proper knowledge about the threats to which pedestrians are exposed and the lack of awareness of dangerous situations. In this study, most respondents were not aware of the dangers posed, partly due to their inappropriate behavior. Most questions regarding possible threats were answered incorrectly almost every time by over half of respondents in both age groups. None of the surveyed groups has an advantage regarding road traffic hazards. People under 18 more often correctly answered questions about priority at a pedestrian crossing and the driver's reaction time to the appearance of a live obstacle. People over 65 more often indicated the correct answer regarding the braking distance and the distance covered by a driver traveling at a speed of 50 km/h.

 
REFERENCES (44)
1.
Act of 20 June 1997 – Road Traffic Law (Ustawa z dnia 20 czerwca 1997 r. – Prawo o ruchu drogowym), Dz.U. 1997, nr 98, poz. 602.
 
2.
Ahmen I., (2013). Road infrastructure and road safety. Transport and Communications Bulletin for Asia and the Pacific, 83, 19-25.
 
3.
Amin K., Skyving M., Bonander C., Krafft M., & Finn Nilson F. (2022). Fall – and collision-related injuries among pedestrians in road traffic environment – A Swedish national register-based study. Journal of Safety Research, 81, 153-165. DOI: 10.1016/j.jsr.2022.02.007.
 
4.
Babić, D., Babić, D., Fiolić, M., & Ferko, M. (2021). Factors affecting pedestrian conspicuity at night: Analysis based on driver eye tracking. Safety Science, 139, 105257. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2021.105257.
 
5.
Bungum, T.J., Day, C., Henry, L.J. (2005). The association of distraction and caution displayed by pedestrians at a lighted crosswalk. Journal of Community Health, 30(4), 269–279.
 
6.
Byington, K.W., & Schwebel, D.C. (2013). Effects of mobile Internet use on college student pedestrian injury risk. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 51, 78-83, DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2012.11.001.
 
7.
Claude, G., Henry, E., Linhardt, D., & Galland, J.P. (2006). La sécurité routière : une vision restrictive, un système sans pilote? Cahiers Risques Collectifs et Situations de Crise, 6, 15-30.
 
8.
Distefano, N., Leonardi, S., & Pulvirenti,G. (2022). Analysis of Pedestrian Crossing Behaviour at Roundabout. Transportation Research Procedia, 60, 28-35. DOI: 10.1016/j.trpro.2021.12.005.
 
9.
Dunbar, G., Lewis, V., & Hill, R. (1999). Control processes and road – crossing skills. Available from: https://cms.bps.org.uk/sites/d... (accessed 1 November 2023).
 
10.
EC (2023a). Pedestrians. Available from: https://road-safety.transport.... (accessed 26 February 2023).
 
11.
EC (2023b). Road safety in the EU: fatalities in 2021 remain well below pre-pandemic level. Available from: https://transport.ec.europa.eu... (accessed: 1 November 2023).
 
12.
Gobo, G., Mauceri, S. (2014). Constructing survey data: An interactional approach. London: SAGE.
 
13.
Hatfield, J., & Murphy, S. (2007). The effects of mobile phone use on pedestrian crossing behaviour at signalised and unsignalised intersections. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 39(1), 197-205.
 
14.
Hatfield, J., Murphy, S. (2007). The effects of mobile phone use on pedestrian crossing behaviour at signalised and unsignalised intersections. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 39(1), 197-205. DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2006.07.001.
 
15.
IRTAD (2019). Road Safety Annual Report 2019. Available from: https://www.itf-oecd.org/road-... (accessed 1 November 2023).
 
16.
Ivan, K.., Benedek, J., & Ciobanu, S.M. (2019). School-Aged Pedestrian–Vehicle Crash Vulnerability. Sustainability, 11 (4), 1214. DOI: 10.3390/su11041214.
 
17.
Jasiūnienė, V., & Čygas, D. 2020. Analysis of Older Pedestrian Accidents: A Case Study of Lithuania. The Baltic Journal of Road and Bridge Engineering, 15, 147-160. DOI: https://DOI.org/10.7250/bjrbe.....
 
18.
Jothula, K.Y., & Sreeharshika, D. (2021). Knowledge, attitude, and practice toward road safety regulations among college students in Telangana state. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 10, 1-5. DOI: 10.4103/jehp.jehp_442_20.
 
19.
Kępa, P. (2020). The issue of road visibility and road traffic safety. Humanities and Social Sciences, 27(4), 39-49. DOI: 10.7862/RZ.2020.HSS.41.
 
20.
KGP. (2021). Wypadki drogowe w Polsce w 2020 roku. Available from: https://statystyka.policja.pl/... (accessed 1 November 2023).
 
21.
KGP. (2022). Wypadki drogowe w Polsce w 2021 roku. Available from: https://statystyka.policja.pl/... (accessed 1 November 2023).
 
22.
KGP. (2023). Wypadki drogowe w Polsce w 2022 roku. Available from: https://statystyka.policja.pl/... (accessed 1 November 2023).
 
23.
Lee, H.M., Bai, Z., Ho, Y.S., Soh, J.X., & Lee, H.P. (2020). Effect of music from headphone on pedestrians. Applied Acoustics, 169, 107485. DOI: 10.1016/j.apacoust.2020.107485.
 
24.
Lejzerowicz, M. (2020). Starzenie się ludności i wykluczenie osób starszych a edukacja do starości (Population aging and exclusion of older people and education to old age). Rozprawy społeczne, 14(1), 82–97.
 
25.
Macedo, M.R.O.B.C., Maia, M.L.A., Kohlman, Rabbani, E.R., Lima, Neto, O.C.C., & Andrade, M. (2022). Traffic accident prediction model for rural highways in Pernambuco. Case Studies on Transport Policy, 10(1), 278-286. DOI: 10.1016/j.cstp.2021.12.009.
 
26.
Muślewski, Ł., Landowski, B., Pająk, M., & Sójka, M. (2018). Analysis of Changes In Traffic Rules and Assessment of their Impact on Road Traffic Safety. Journal of KONES Powertrain and Transport, 25(4), 229-309.
 
27.
Naci, H., Chisholm, D., & Baker, T.D. (2009). Distribution of road traffic deaths by road user group: a global comparison. Injury Prevention, 15(1), 55-59.
 
28.
Nesoff, E.D., Pollack Porter, K.M., Bailey, M., & Gielen, A.C. (2019). Knowledge and Beliefs About Pedestrian Safety in an Urban Community: Implications for Promoting Safe Walking. Journal of Community Health, 44, 103–111. DOI: 10.1007/s10900-018-0559-0.
 
29.
Nikolaou, D., Ntontis, A., Michelaraki, E., Ziakopoulos, A., & Yannis, G. (2023). Pedestrian safety attitudes and self-declared behaviour in Greece, IATSS Research, 47(1), 14-24. DOI: 10.1016/j.iatssr.2022.12.002.
 
30.
Olakulehin, O.A., Olowookere, S.A., Abiodun, A.A., Folami, E.O., Omole, J.G., Akanbi, O.O., Asifat, O.A., Akinloye, D.E., Oyeyemi, T.E., & Olajubu, A.J. (2019). Knowledge, attitude, practices of road traffic regulations among pedestrians in a university community in Southwestern Nigeria. European International Journal of Science and Technology, 8(3), 41-56.
 
31.
Olowosegun, A., Babajide, N., Akintola, A., Fountas, G., & Fonzone, A. (2022). Analysis of pedestrian accident injury-severities at road junctions and crossings using an advanced random parameter modelling framework: The case of Scotland. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 169, 106610. DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2022.106610.
 
32.
Owens, D.A., Antonoff, R.J., Francis, E.L. (1994). Biological Motion and Night-time Pedestrian Conspicuity. Human Factors: The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society, 36(4), 718–732. DOI: https://DOI.org/10.1177/001872....
 
33.
Oxley, J., Fildes, B., Ihsen, E., Charlton, J., & Day, R. (1997). Differences in traffic judgements between young and old adult pedestrians. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 29(6), 839-847.
 
34.
Reang, T., & Tripura, A. (2014). Road safety: Knowledge, practice and determinants among undergraduate medical students of Agartala Government Medical College and Govinda Ballabh Pant Hospital. International Journal of Medicine and Public Health, 3(8), 911-915.
 
35.
Setorwofia, A.,E., Otoo, E.N., Arko, E.A., Adjakloe, Y.A., & Ojo, T.O. (2020). Self-reported pedestrian knowledge of safety by school children in cape coast metropolis, Ghana. Urban, Planning and Transport Research, 8(1), 158-170. DOI: 10.1080/21650020.2020.1758203.
 
36.
Sheykhfard, A., Haghighi, F., Nordfjærn, T., & Soltaninejad, M. (2020). Structural equation modelling of potential risk factors for pedestrian accidents in rural and urban roads. International Journal of Injury Control and Safety Promotion, 28, 46-57. DOI: 10.1080/17457300.2020.1835991.
 
37.
Simončič, M. (2001). Road accidents in Slovenia involving a pedestrian, cyclist or motorcyclist and a car. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 33(2), 147-156.
 
38.
Stigson, H., Klingegård, M., & Kullgren, A. (2023). How to reduce pedestrian fatalities: a case-by-case study to evaluate the potential of vehicle and road infrastructure interventions. Traffic Safety Research, 5, 1-13. DOI: 10.55329/rdja1963.
 
39.
Tabunar, S.M. (2020). Knowledge, attitude and practices toward road safety among medical students of the University of the Philippines – college of medicine. Malaysian Journal of Public Health Medicine, 20(2), 84–93. DOI: 10.37268/mjphm/vol.20/no.2/art.199.
 
40.
Tulu, G.S., Washington, S., Haque, M.M., & King, M.J. (2015). Investigation of pedestrian crashes on two-way two-lane rural roads in Ethiopia. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 78, 118-126. DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2015.02.011.
 
41.
WHO. (2023). 7th UN Global Road Safety Week: Streets for life #RethinkMobility. Available from: z https://www.who.int/news-room/... (accessed 26 February 2023).
 
42.
Wijnen, W., Weijermars, W., Schoeters, A., van den Berghe, W., Bauer, R., Carnis, L., Elvik, R., & Martensen, H. (2019). An analysis of official road crash cost estimates in European countries. Safety Science, 113, 318-327. DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2018.12.004.
 
43.
Xiao, Y., Liu, Y., & Liang, Z. (2021). Study on road-crossing violations among young pedestrians based on the theory of planned behavior. Journal of Advanced Transportation, 1-11.
 
44.
Zito, G.A., Cazzoli, D., Scheffler, L., Jäger, M., Müri, R.M., Mosimann, U.P., Nyffeler, T., Mast, F.W., & Nef, T. (2015). Street crossing behavior in younger and older pedestrians: an eye – and head-tracking study. BMC Geriatrics, 15, 176. DOI: 10.1186/s12877-015-0175-0.
 
eISSN:2391-789X
ISSN:1734-2031
Journals System - logo
Scroll to top