A Randomized Control Trial on Effectiveness of Peer Education Intervention on Knowledge Attitude and Practices Regarding Road Safety among Adolescents in Kanpur Nagar

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND: Road traffic injuries are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among adolescents worldwide. Despite awareness of basic safety rules, gaps in knowledge, attitudes, and practices persist, increasing vulnerability. Structured educational interventions have been proposed as effective strategies to address these gaps. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A quasi-experimental study was conducted among adolescents aged 16–17 years to evaluate the effectiveness of a structured road safety education program. Participants were divided into intervention and control groups. Demographic data were collected, and paired T-tests were used to compare pre-test and post-test scores across four domains: total score, knowledge, attitude, and practice. RESULTS: The study population was predominantly female (55%), Hindu (79%), and middle-class (48%), with most commuting by vehicle (74%). The intervention group demonstrated statistically significant improvements (p < 0.05) across all domains: total score (12.52 to 25.73), knowledge (7.24 to 18.0), attitude (3.64 to 6.52), and practice (1.64 to 4.96). In contrast, the control group showed declines in all measures, including total score (13.9 to 12.4), knowledge (9.04 to 7.19), attitude (9.04 to 7.19), and practice (2.60 to 1.62). CONCLUSION: Structured educational interventions are highly effective in improving adolescents’ road safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices. The findings underscore the need to integrate road safety education into school curricula and policy frameworks, with emphasis on participatory and experiential approaches to foster sustainable behavioural change and reduce adolescent vulnerability to road traffic injuries.