Improving Pedestrian Safety in Bangladesh: Insights from Behaviour Change Models and Co-Design Interventions

In Bangladesh, pedestrians, particularly students and workers, frequently face the challenge of crossing medium-to-high speed roads during their daily commute. Pedestrians’ low rate of crossing use necessitates the application of a relevant behaviour change model, ‘COM-B’, to diagnose the behavioural problem and investigate factors in enhancing pedestrian safety and promoting safe crossing behaviour in Bangladesh. Three studies were conducted on two national highways of Bangladesh using mixed methods to identify factors and strategies for promoting pedestrian safety.
Study 1 presents a conceptual model for predicting pedestrians’ safe use of crossings, examining the complex interplay between Capability, Opportunity, and Motivation in promoting safe crossing practices. The findings highlight influential factors in pedestrians’ crossing-use decisions, including avoiding lapses and aggressions. Study 2 further promotes pedestrian safety by investigating drivers’ yielding behaviour and identifying key pedestrian factors and contextual elements in pedestrian-driver interactions. Study 2 used a conceptual thematic coding framework and explored barriers and facilitators to safe crossing practices amidst the conflicting interests of drivers’ reluctance to yield to pedestrians. The theoretical domains framework (TDF) was utilised to map the behavioural model constructs in studies 1 and 2.
Study 3 involves students and workers in intervention design, with and without applying the selected behavioural model for solutions. The evaluation suggests that the co-design approach and the behaviour change model address conventional design flaws in promoting the safe use of crossings. Stakeholders’ consultations address blaming culture among pedestrians, drivers, and authorities for promoting the safety of vulnerable road users.
The combined findings of these studies provide valuable insights and recommendations for policymakers, road authorities, and stakeholders involved in pedestrian safety. The suggested intervention development strategies emphasise the social and physical opportunity element by optimising the use of limited resources and encouraging authorities to assume collective responsibility by fostering collaboration among all stakeholders.