Perception and Response of West Sumatra Society to the Planned Implementation of the Demerit Point System in Traffic Violation

Abstract

Traffic violations in Indonesia significantly contribute to the rising number of accidents annually, these were influenced by factors such as gender, age, residence, driving experience, education, and occupation. This study examines drivers' intentions to comply with traffic regulations based on public perception of the Demerit Point System, utilizing the Theory of Planned Behavior and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) to analyze variable relationships. Data were collected through direct and online interviews with 400 drivers. Findings reveal that only 12.4% of the intention to obey traffic regulations is explained by the studied variables, while 87.6% is influenced by external factors. Attitude towards the Violation Point System and Subjective Norms significantly and positively affect compliance intentions, whereas Perceived Behavioral Control has a positive but insignificant impact. This highlights the complexity of factors influencing traffic regulation adherence.