Unsafe behaviours in Iranian adult pedestrians

Introduction Pedestrians are the most vulnerable street users and unsafe traffic behaviour may endanger their lives. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of unsafe behaviours and their predictors among pedestrians in a city according to gender, time of day, and location. Methods In this cross-sectional study, unsafe behaviours of 391 pedestrians in 17 locations were observed directly using recorded videos. The samples and locations were randomly selected. Two trained observers recorded behaviours using a 15-item checklist. Chi-square test, independent t-test, and ANOVA were used to examine the differences among independent variables. In addition; binary logistic regression was utilized to investigate the relationship between high-risk behaviours and independent variables. Results Each pedestrian exhibited an average of 4.8 (±2.2) high-risk behaviours. The most frequent unsafe behaviours included not looking left, right, and left [NLLRL] (84.7%), not using pedestrian bridges (63.5%), as well as crosswalks (60.9%). Pedestrians displayed more risky behaviours at roundabouts (P  Conclusion Pedestrians in cities may be engaged in risky behaviours which endanger their lives. These behaviours should be explored for designing and implementing targeted interventional programs to reduce injuries and deaths among pedestrians.