Pedestrian Safety: Understanding the Interplay of Awareness, Attitudes, and Violation Behaviour

This study investigates the interrelationships between pedestrian safety perceptions, attitudes towards traffic safety, and self-reported behaviours. A comprehensive understanding of these behavioural and perceptual factors in local contexts is necessary for effective road safety interventions. A questionnaire survey was conducted in Bengaluru City, India (n = 693). Using exploratory factor analysis (EFA), the study identified three key dimensions influencing pedestrian behaviour: violations and errors, pedestrian awareness, and positive behaviours. EFA identified three factors accounting for 55.2 percent of the variance, revealing a strong association between awareness and safe pedestrian behaviour. This study is among the first empirical investigations in Bengaluru City to explore the psychological underpinnings of pedestrian behaviour specifically attitudes, perceptions, and self-reported practices within the framework of traffic safety and addresses a significant research gap in urban Indian settings. Violation tendencies were higher among younger and student participants, and awareness was positively associated with safer self-reported behaviour, although these relationships are correlational and not causal. Findings point to the importance of awareness campaigns and behavioural nudges, particularly in high footfall zones like education campuses. Moreover, patterns were consistent with a potential mediating pathway; however, mediation was not tested, and this remains a hypothesis for future confirmatory analysis. These insights inform development and future evaluation of behavioural and infrastructure based approaches to pedestrian safety in Bengaluru City and similar urban settings. The study makes a unique contribution by focusing on a culturally and infrastructurally distinct context, offering a nuanced understanding that can inform targeted interventions and policy reforms.