Road traffic injuries claim more than 1.35 million lives each year with a disproportionate impact on health and development. They are the eighth leading cause of death across all age groups globally and the leading cause among children and young people aged between 5 and 29 years, costing governments approximately 3% of GDP and 5% in low- and middle-income countries (World Health Organization, 2018).
Accelerating progress towards safer roads includes adopting and enforcing laws to tackle risk factors associated to road traffic injuries. At the same time, law enforcement has been proven to be more effective when accompanied by effective communication campaigns and strategies aimed at changing road users’ behaviours.
Social norms theory has been examined mainly in public health related fields from the Reasoned Action Approach (Fishbein, Martin, & Ajzen, I.,1975)1, showing that social norms are highly influential in shaping individual behaviour. A social norm is a perception about what others do (what is normal) and what is expected of what others do within the group (what is appropriate)2.
Research shows that social norms are powerful considering the individual need to belong and to “fit in” with their group. Social norms can function like actual laws and violators of social norms are socially sanctioned. They act as rules that define acceptable, appropriate, and obligatory actions in a given group or society. Furthermore, they can influence behaviour despite conflicting individual opinions. Understanding how social norms act as powerful constraints on individual attitudes and behaviours is crucial for effective policy interventions. Moreover, changing road users’ behaviour on the risk factors for road traffic injuries (speed, drink–driving, and the failure to use helmets, seat belts and child restraints properly or at all) is essential to improve road safety.
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1 Fishbein, Martin and Icek Ajzen (1975). Belief, Attitude, Intention and Behavior: An Introduction to Theory and Research.
2 Elizabeth Levy Paluck and Laurie Ball (2010). Social norms marketing aimed at gender-based violence: A literature review and critical assessment.