How young pedestrians do explain their risky road crossing behaviors? A qualitative study in Iran

Background: Although pedestrian-vehicle accidents are often the results of risky behaviors during road crossings, there is limited evidence concerning the risky road crossing behaviors of pedestrians. This study was aimed at eliciting and exploring the reasons that can help explain why young pedestrians take risky road crossing behaviors. Methods: A qualitative content analysis approach was conducted on purposefully selected young individuals who had the experience of vehicle-collision accident. Data collected by in depth, semi-structured interviews until data saturation and concurrently analyzed, assisted by MAXQDA 10. Results: Three main categories emerged as social reasons for risky road crossing behaviors of the young pedestrians including ‘conformity with the masses/crowds’, ‘lack of social cohesion and sense of belonging in social relations’ and ‘bypassing the law/ law evasion’. Conclusion: The risky road crossing behaviors of young pedestrians are found influenced by the pedestrian attitudes towards the political, social, cultural and economic condition of the society.Moreover, popular culture and collective behaviors in crossing the roads influenced the risky behaviors. Hence, personal, cultural and social interventions could be effective in promoting the young pedestrians’ behavior.