Comparing Road Users with High and Low Perceived Risk of Being Caught for Traffic Infringement in Malaysia

Abstract: The ‘balik kampung’ or visiting hometown among city dwellers generates a high volume of traffic due to the increasing number of vehicles on the road during festive seasons. Moreover, there will be an increment in the number of fatalities recorded compared to the previous year. Thus, a series of enforcement programmes within two weeks was conducted every festive season in order to solve the problem. The purpose of the study was to explore factors associated with perceived risk of being caught among motorists to ensure better strategies can be formulated to instill discipline of traffic obligations. A total of 1219 drivers were asked to complete a set of questionnaires in order to assess their perceived risk of being caught. The study identifies nine variables associated with motorists perceived risk of being caught, however only four were statistically associated with higher perceived risk of being caught for traffic infringement. The study concludes that there is a need to elevate the perceived risk of being caught when infringes traffic rules. Despite several years of conducting integrated enforcement programmes, a substantial portion of drivers does not feel it likelihood to be caught if committed traffic offenses.

Keywords: Low risk perceiver, high risk perceiver, perception of being caught

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe100657

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