Previously submitted to: JMIR Formative Research (no longer under consideration since Mar 18, 2026)
Date Submitted: Jun 12, 2025
Warning: This is an author submission that is not peer-reviewed or edited. Preprints - unless they show as "accepted" - should not be relied on to guide clinical practice or health-related behavior and should not be reported in news media as established information.
Prevalence and Determinants of Safe Road Practices Among Adolescents in Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand: A Cross-Sectional Study
ABSTRACT
Background:
Background:
Adolescents are at heightened risk of road traffic injuries due to unsafe behaviors, inadequate road safety education, and infrastructural challenges. In Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand, road safety remains a critical concern, particularly among secondary school students.
Objective:
Objective:
This study aimed to assess the prevalence and determinants of safe road practices among adolescents, focusing on the influence of external environmental factors, attitudes, and socioeconomic conditions.
Methods:
Methods:
A cross-sectional study of 500 secondary school students was conducted using stratified random sampling. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire evaluating road safety knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP), as well as perceptions of external conditions. Modified Poisson regression was employed to determine associations between external factors, attitudes, and safe road behaviors.
Results:
Results:
Only 21.2% of adolescents consistently engaged in safe road practices, with external environmental factors emerging as a key determinant (ARR = 1.91, p = 0.001). Positive attitudes toward road safety were also significantly associated with safer behaviors (ARR = 1.99, p < 0.001). Education level showed an initial association but lost significance in the adjusted model.
Conclusions:
Conclusion: The findings highlight a critical gap between theoretical road safety awareness and its practical application. Strengthening infrastructural conditions, improving enforcement, and fostering positive behavioral attitudes through tailored educational programs are essential strategies to reduce adolescent road traffic injuries. Keywords: Road safety, adolescent behavior, external factors, Thailand, traffic injuries, public health interventions. Clinical Trial: Walailak University Human Research Ethics Committee (WUEC). Approval Number WUEC-24-335-01.
Citation
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