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The more peers are present, the more adventurous? How peer presence influences adolescent pedestrian safety
Journal article   Peer reviewed

The more peers are present, the more adventurous? How peer presence influences adolescent pedestrian safety

Huarong Wang, Xueyang Su, Mengmeng Fan and David C Schwebel
Transportation research. Part F, Traffic psychology and behaviour, Vol.102, pp.155-163
04/01/2024
DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2024.03.001
PMCID: PMC10977920
PMID: 38559498
url
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10977920/pdf/nihms-1977209.pdfView
Open Access

Abstract

•We examined the impact of peer presence on adolescent pedestrian risk-taking intentions whereby a traffic scenario-based experimental research.•Adolescents’ behavioral intentions in traffic were safer when there were peers present than when there were no peers present.•Adolescents were less safe when crossing the street with familiar peer(s) than with unfamiliar peer(s).•Peer familiarity didn't effect adolescents' safety when walking on the sidewalk.•Adolescents’ safety in traffic was higher with multiple familiar peers than with multiple unfamiliar peers. Adolescence is a high-risk period for traffic injury. One factor that may impact adolescent safety in traffic is the presence of peers. We conducted a quasi-experimental research study to examine the impact of peer presence, peer familiarity, and peer group size on adolescent pedestrian risk-taking intentions in both sidewalk and street-crossing settings. 607 students aged 12–18 years from Nantong city, China, completed a questionnaire that presented 20 traffic scenarios. The scenarios varied based on a 3 (peer group size: no peer vs. one peer vs. multiple peers) x 2 (peer familiarity: familiar vs. unfamiliar) x 2 (traffic setting: crossing the street vs. walking on the roadside) experimental design. Adolescents’ responses indicated safer vs riskier intentions in each situation. (1) Adolescents were safer when walking on the sidewalk than when crossing the street; (2) Whether crossing the street or walking on the sidewalk, adolescents’ behavioral intentions were safer when there were peers present than when there were no peers present; (3) Adolescents’ safety tended to be higher overall with unfamiliar peers than with familiar peers; (4) Adolescents were less safe when crossing the street with familiar peer(s) than with unfamiliar peer(s), but no differences emerged when walking on the sidewalk. Adolescents report safer behavior when walking with a peer or peers compared with walking alone. Familiar peers reduce adolescents’ safety of behavior intentions in traffic, especially when crossing the street.
 Adolescent Peer familiarity Peer group size Peer presence

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