Knowledge, Attitude, and Practices regarding Road Traffic Laws in Indore City: A Cross-Sectional Study

Introduction: Traffic injuries are among the leading causes of death and disability in many countries. The knowledge, attitude, and practice of general population toward traffic laws are key factors in decreasing traffic injuries and deaths. The objectives of this research were to study the knowledge, attitude, and practice of general population toward traffic laws and to determine the relationships between demographic features and knowledge, attitude, and practice. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 380 young adults (above 18 years) from four areas of Indore city as study subjects for a duration of 6 months. All persons were interviewed by a pretested predesigned semi-structured questionnaire which included demographic questions and questions related to knowledge, attitude, and practice of traffic laws. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 trial version, Chi-square test, Mann–Whitney U-test, and Kruskal–Wallis test. Ethical clearance from the college committee was taken and written informed consent was taken from the participants. Results: Among the total participants, 91.1% had good knowledge about road traffic light. About 46.4% were very convinced in using seat belt. About 45.5% people agreed that regular maintenance of vehicle was necessary. While driving, 45.7% occasionally were using phone and 25.5% were using seat belt always. About 42.4% were alcoholic while driving. Males were having more knowledge than females regarding traffic lights and traffic signs (Chi-square test; P < 0.05). Literates had more positive attitude than illiterates (Mann–Whitney U-test; P < 0.05). Age significantly affected the practices (Kruskal– Wallis test; P < 0.05). Conclusion: Inadequate knowledge, less positive attitude, and risky practice toward traffic laws were the main cause of road traffic injuries. Overall findings of this study will be useful for planning accident prevention programs in the future. Measures imposed on violators of traffic rules, checks on driving vehicles without license, and focus on drunk driving should be strengthened. Key words: Attitude, knowledge, practice, traffic laws