The influence of individual’s risk perception and attitudes on travel behavior

This study analyzes the effect of individuals’ risk perception of being involved in road crashes, awareness of the negative environmental effects of transportation, knowledge of environmental problems, fatalistic beliefs, attitudes toward various public transport (PT) features, and beliefs on their level of intention to shift from car to public transportation and walking. It attempts to examine the potential of transport policies to improve PT systems and the pedestrian road safety level by bettering traffic arrangements on the intention to shift from car to PT and walking. The study uses an integrated approach consisting of a descriptive analysis; a factor analysis to create attitudinal factors; and an intention model that is developed, based on a stated-preference survey, with attitudinal factors among the explanatory variables, in regard to the use of public transportation for commuting. The approach, set within a theoretical framework that is also developed, is applied to a case study of Arab cities in the Galilee region of northern Israel. The results support the hypothesis that perception of the risk of being involved in road crashes positively affects sustainable travel behavior, as expressed by the level of intention to use public transport; concern for and knowledge of environmental problems, in contrast, exerts no significant effect on the intention to shift to PT. The results showed that people have a higher intention to shift to public transport for work trips than for other purposes. Improving the PT system and the pedestrian road-safety level promote the intention to shift to PT, in particular for commute trips.

► There is a gap between environmental concern and sustainable travel behavior.
► Drivers tend to perceive environmental dangers less than other factors.
► Perception of the risk of road crashes exerts a positive effect on travel behavior.
► Attitude and fatalistic beliefs also affect travel behavior.