Citation

Yoshio T, Shunji T, Kazunori S. Jpn. J. Traffic Psychol. 2020; 36(1): 31-41.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Japanese Association of Traffic Psychology)

DOI

10.34362/jatp.36.31

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study aims to identify factors determining helmet-wearing when riding a bicycle.　A questionnaire regarding bicycle riding, traffic behavior, daily behavior and helmet-wearing was conducted, with respondents being 469 elementary and junior high school students.　Factor analyses extracted factors of "traffic safety" and "risk avoidance" from bicycle driving behaviors, "norm" and "fashion" from daily behaviors, and "active affirmation of helmet wearing" and "passive affirmation of helmet wearing" from helmet wearing attitudes.　There was significant moderate correlation between the factor of active affirmation of helmet wearing and factors of norm, risk avoidance and traffic safety.　Relationships between these factors and sex/academic year showed that males' bicycle riding and traffic behavior were generally riskier than females', and males' daily behavior was less normative than females'.　There was no difference by sex in the attitude towards helmet wearing.　The higher the academic year, the riskier bicycle riding and traffic behavior became, and the less normative daily behavior and helmet wearing were.　These were considered to correspond to the developmental characteristics of childhood and early adolescence as well as riding frequency and mileage.　Based on the above results, it was suggested that education to reinforce safe attitudes in first year junior high school students is important in order to improve helmet wearing.

Language: ja

Keywords

bicycle driving behavior; elementary and junior high school students; helmet wearing; preadolescence