CSRP Quantitative Attitudinal Survey – Key Points

Background

The CSRP commissioned a survey on the attitudes towards road death and driving behaviours of residents in the partnership area. 1014 residents views were obtained via a face-to-face street survey.

Attitudes

Relative importance of road safety

  • 64% mentioned road safety as an important issue in their local area (second only to health; 71%).
  • Only 12% identified it as the most important issue in their local area (fourth behind health (24%), safer communities (19%) and education (16%)).
  • Younger individuals (16-34y) were less likely to consider it an important issue (57% vs. 64% overall).

Acceptance & inevitability of road death

  • 81% agree ‘Most RTCs are preventable’
  • 53% agree ‘It’s inevitable that people are regularly killed on the roads’
  • Only 25% agree that ‘Death on the roads is a part of life we have to accept’, 58% disagreed.
    • Those who are more accepting of this statement are:
      • Men (<55y)
      • Older women (55y+)
      • Lower social classes
      • Those with driving convictions
      • High annual mileage
      • Powered 2-wheeled vehicle riders
    • When informed that 64 people died in the Partnership area last year, only 3% said it was acceptable.
    • Reasons why it death on the road was acceptable relate to:
      • Inevitability/just happens/human error/risk in everything we do
      • Other peoples behaviours – irresponsible/stupidity/poor attitudes/rushing/young drivers
  • Only 22% agree that ‘There isn’t much I can do to reduce the risk of being in an RTC’, 69% disagreed.

Social acceptance of driving behaviours

  • Rank of driving behaviour types by unacceptability:
    • Tiredness
    • Not wearing a seatbelt
    • Using a mobile phone without hands free
    • Worn/under-inflated tyres
    • Driving 5mph over a 30mph speed limit
    • Driving after 2 pints of beer
    • Slowing down in the rain
    • o Using a mobile phone with hands free
  • Groups more accepting of behaviours:
    • Younger respondents – especially males
    • Those with motoring offences
    • High annual mileage

Responsibility for road safety

  • Respondents have a very similar view to road safety practitioners on which organisations/groups have a responsibility for road safety.
  • 96% agree that they have a responsibility for the safety of themselves and others using the roads.
  • 13% agree that road safety is more the responsibility of government organisations than individuals using the roads.
    • Older respondents (especially men), those with high annual mileage and those who do not hold a driving licence are most likely to hold this view.

Perceived Danger & Enforcement

  • Rank of driving behaviours by perceived danger:
    1. Alcohol
    2. Drugs
    3. Using a mobile phone
    4. Tiredness
    5. Not keeping appropriate distance from the vehicle in front
    6. Excess of speed limits
    7. Not slowing in bad weather
    8. Poor vehicle condition
  • Those least likely to believe driving offences increased the risk of collisions were:
    • Young respondents
    • Men
    • Those with driving offences
    • High annual mileage
  • Rank of driving behaviours by perceived likelihood of being caught:
    1. Alcohol
    2. Excess of speed limits
    3. Using a mobile phone
    4. Poor vehicle condition
    5. Drugs
    6. Driving too fast for the conditions
    7. Driving without a seat belt on
    8. Tiredness

Communications/Messages recall

  • Only 1/3 of respondents recall seeing or hearing messages/activities
    • Those more likely to recall include:
      • Young respondents
      • Men
      • Higher social classes
      • Licence holders
      • Those with driving offences
  • Main types of messages/activities recalled include:
    • Speed related signs (inc flashing ones), cameras, adverts
    • School education
    • Drink drive campaigns etc
    • Bike safety
    • Mobile phone use
    • Tiredness/fatigue
 

© 2007 Cheshire Safer Roads Partnership