Analysis on the Structure of Consciousness of Drivers with Rejection of Expressway Usage Focusing on Attitudes toward Traffic Accident

Abstract

According to the traffic accident statistics in Japan, the accident rate for expressway is around 10 times lower than that for ordinary road. Therefore, analysis of driver's attitudes toward driving on the expressways is essential in order to examine effective traffic accident risk communication intended to enhance the expressway usage. This study investigated the driver's cognitive structure toward expressway usage focusing on the attitudes toward the traffic accident using a large-scale web-based questionnaire survey of daily drivers. The results showed that the fear of driving on the expressway had a dominant impact on the intention of its usage. Also shown was that many drivers who refuse the expressway usage tend to overestimate its accident risk, and are more likely to have a fear of what might happen on the expressway. Furthermore, while they are highly aware that whether or not an accident occurs depends on their own driving, they tend to lack confidence in their driving on the expressway.