Creating Safer Communities for the Use of Active Transportation Modes in California: The Development of Effective Communication Message Strategy for Vulnerable Road Users

Despite increased efforts to improve safety in recent years (e.g., the Focus Cities Program in California), California continues to have a high rate of pedestrian and bicyclist fatalities. Currently, the state currently lacks a cohesive messaging strategy to improve behaviors related to pedestrian and cyclist traffic safety practices. To fulfill this need, this research showcases the differential effect of message framing on attitudes and intended behaviors related to pedestrian and cyclists traffic safety practices. This project investigated factors & risky behaviors contributing to accidents involving vulnerable road users, preventive measures to decrease accidents involving vulnerable road users, and more. The qualitative analysis presented a significant lack of coherent, long-term, evidence-based communication strategies that aimed at enhancing the safety of vulnerable road users in California. Quantitatively, this research also experimentally investigated various messages, employing different time horizons and regulatory focus message framings. Findings indicate that the messages with a limited time horizon tend to be associated with better safety perceptions and attitudes than messages with an expansive time horizon. California transportation authorities, professionals, and advocacy groups will be able to use this information to effectively allocate the communication effort and spending to induce attitudinal and behavioral change that can impact the safety of active transportation modes.

• Record URL:
  • https://doi.org/10.31979/mti.2021.2030
• Summary URL:
  • https://transweb.sjsu.edu/sites/default/files/2030-RB-Tawfik-Safer-Communities-Vulnerable-Road-Users-Communication-Personality.pdf
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/63029
• Corporate Authors:

  Mineta Transportation Institute

  College of Business
  San José State University
  San Jose, CA  United States  95192-0219

  State of California

  Trustees of the California State University
  Long Beach, CA  United States 

  California Department of Transportation

  Sacramento, CA  United States  95819

  Department of Transportation

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  California State University Transportation Consortium

  San José State University
  San Jose, CA  United States 
• Authors:
  • Sarofim, Samer
  • Tawfik, Aly
• Publication Date: 2022-7

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Features: Appendices; Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 39p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Behavior; Drivers; Messages (Communications); Pedestrian safety; Vulnerable road users
• Geographic Terms: California
• Subject Areas: Highways; Operations and Traffic Management; Pedestrians and Bicyclists; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01853344
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: 22-20, CA-MTI-2030
• Contract Numbers: ZSB12017-SJAUX
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Jul 29 2022 9:17AM