Direction of Traffic Safety Promotion by Changing Driver Behavior in a Metropolitan City: The Case of Gwangju Metropolitan City (GMC)

This paper focuses on the behavioral traffic safety policy in GMC, Korea. The purpose of this study is to analyze the causes and actual conditions of RTA and to suggest important traffic safety policy directions by means of changes in driver behaviors in GMC. This study consists of the introduction, basic theory of RTA and driver behavior, condition and problems of RTA in GMC, and behavioral traffic safety policy in GMC. This paper was mainly conducted by a literature review of existing research and an analysis of statistical data. In GMC, the total number of vehicle registrations has rapidly increased as a result of increases in personal income and socioeconomic activities, increased leisure activities, and motorization. Above 95% of the causes of RTA are related to human factors, and a social climate that does not obey the traffic regulations has become a serious social problem in GMC. Traffic offenses by drivers or risky driving behavior is a significant cause of RTA. The main problems of RTA are identified as risky driving, unsafe following distance, traffic signal violation, and traffic offence at crossing. The problems are also associated with bad driving behaviors, including not stopping at a pedestrian crossing, using a cell-phone while driving, ignoring a traffic signal, drunken driving, and not using turn signals. The important traffic safety policy directions consist of sustainable publicity programme, driving test and training requirements, and strengthened enforcement. This study serves as a basis for future research on the theoretical foundation of driver behavior and the development of behavioral traffic safety policy.