Why did you cross the street recklessly? Because they have always

Why do people walk recklessly? Because they are used to it.

That’s according to a new study that surveyed about 400 pedestrians in Auckland, finding habit was the typical reason people wandered away from crosswalks.

While many of us may not know it, reckless crossing is a crime in New Zealand.

Pedestrians can charge a $ 35 fine if they cross a street when there is a controlled crossing within 20 meters, or if the green man flashes red.

However, thousands of kiwis are likely to break this law every day and get away with it.

University of Auckland researcher Ajjima Soathong felt compelled to take a closer look at the issue after she and her colleagues examined reports of pedestrian accidents.

They found that, in 2018, pedestrians accounted for about 11 percent of fatalities and serious injuries on the road, and 95 percent of accidents occurred outside of controlled crossings.

Still, he said it was not really known why people crossed recklessly in the first place.

At four busy sites around Auckland – Symonds St, Park Rd, Broadway Rd and Grafton Rd – Soathong and his colleagues began approaching pedestrians and conducting questionnaire surveys.

Those pedestrians, all locals, were asked about their attitudes and habits when it came to risky road crossings.

The results pointed to a main motivation: habit.

“For example, in the mid-block crossing scenario, pedestrians initially pay attention when crossing the street to get to their destination,” he said.

“When the action is well done and repeated, the behavior becomes habitual and requires minimal attention.

“This could be cause for concern, as inattention to road crossings appears to be associated with crashes.”

While habit was expected to be an influencer, she never expected it to be the most important.

“This is in part because pedestrians often react to the environment and assess the state of traffic before crossing.”

There were other factors in the mix as well: One was that social norms had made reckless crossing socially acceptable.

“As such, increasing road safety awareness and awareness of associated risks could potentially alter your behavior,” he said.

“And for pedestrians themselves, they must understand that this behavior is not a low-risk activity and be aware of their vulnerability.”

In addition, he found a gender difference. While women were more likely to be influenced by their morale when deciding whether to cross recklessly, men were more likely to be influenced by their peers.

With strategic plans focused primarily on road infrastructure, he felt that pedestrian behavior deserved more attention.

“For road safety professionals, developing more effective measures and evidence-based policies can reshape pedestrians’ perception of the risk of crossing a street.”