Traffic safety as a social construct: exploring the interdependencies of policy, law enactment and individual behavior for developing a sustainable and safer traffic environment in Chiang Mai, Thailand

Abstract

This research focuses on traffic safety in Chiang Mai Thailand. Previous studies have focused on improving traffic safety within the Kingdom by approaching this issue as a vehicle optimization and infrastructural problem. However, rarely have traffic incidents been used as a lens to look into deeper, broader issues which question and aim to assess the problem of traffic accidents from a holistic point of view, encompassing multiple actors, all of whom influence this issue at different levels. This research challenges previously held viewpoints and conceptualizations of traffic issues that have used vehiclebased approaches in addressing traffic safety. The conceptual framework that guided this research is centered on the systems theory in order to understand the social nature and connections between actors and processes of traffic safety development. Moreover, the concepts of urban mobility explore mobility in the context of traffic within transport systems. In addition, the concept of the New Traffic Safety Paradigm is employed to analyze safety in the context of traffic issues. This research adopted a community-based participatory approach involving various actors who share both responsibility and ownership of the problem, which provides insight into current trends of urban mobility and traffic safety. Across the three field sites, utilizing purposive and snowballing techniques, four key informant and 13 individual interviews were conducted with scholars and advisory road safety representatives, traffic police officers, driving instructors, secondary schoolteachers, and government staff in the Land Transport Office. Four focus group discussions with a total of 24 participants were conducted: two with students of Chiang Mai and Mae Jo Universities, one with secondary schoolteachers of Nakornpayap International School and one with instructors from a Chiang Mai driving school. In addition, the researcher was invited to participate in six different consultation meetings dedicated towards traffic safety development resulting in rich data for thematic analysis. Findings highlighted a significant need for traffic safety education. It found that the development of traffic safety as experienced by road users is thwarted by an underdeveloped education system that fails to produce safety minded road users. Unsafe behavior is rampant among a rising number of road users which has put an increased strain on traffic police who are ill-equipped to deal with areas experiencing high amount of traffic. In order to respond to traffic issues, training, resources and funding are considered as crucial components that could enable actors to directly and effectively address local issues. However, a heavy dependency on Bangkok central administration for resources, as well as the prevalence of bloated bureaucracy were cited as obstacles for effective traffic safety implementation, resulting in very little proactive action and communication between actors. The study found that across all participant cohorts, there was a desire for a stronger mandate from the Royal Thai Government to address traffic safety. Therefore, this study recommends for the adoption of collaborative approach and the establishment of a multi-sectorial taskforce dedicated to respond to traffic issues and implement educational improvements that focus on the cultivation of a new generation of safety minded road users.