Understanding road traffic risks from the street hawker's perspective

Area of Science:

• Traffic Safety Research
• Occupational Health
• Human Factors in Transportation

Background:

• Street hawking presents significant risks to individuals working in traffic environments.
• Understanding the lived experiences of street hawkers is crucial for developing targeted safety interventions.
• Previous research has not fully captured the nuanced risks and perceptions associated with street hawking in traffic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the lived experiences and traffic-related risks faced by street hawkers.
• To identify the factors contributing to traffic incidents among street hawkers.
• To investigate the relationship between socio-demographic characteristics, risk management, and accident perception in this population.

Main Methods:

• Phenomenological case study design involving 24 street hawkers across three locations.
• Stratified purposeful sampling to ensure gender and age diversity.
• Thematic data analysis of interviews and field observations.

Main Results:

• Traffic incidents are primarily self-induced, linked to road negligence, indiscriminate crossing, and car-following behaviors.
• A perceived relationship exists between socio-demographic factors (gender, age) and personal traffic accident experiences.
• Risk management ability appears to influence hawkers' traffic risk perceptions, with gender and age as potential mediators.

Conclusions:

• Street hawkers' traffic safety is influenced by individual behaviors and socio-demographic factors.
• Further research is needed to elucidate these relationships and inform effective safety interventions.
• Addressing self-induced risks and enhancing risk perception management are key for improving road safety for hawkers.