Awareness level of safe driving knowledge and practice of specific population drivers: behavioral assessment and educational intervention

Purpose This study aimed to assess car-driving behaviors and attitudes and to measure the changes in the knowledge and behavioral practices associated with road safety measures of 1333 randomly selected young-adult participants (aged 18–24 years) from Jazan University in Gizan city, Saudi Arabia. Methods Data were collected using cross-sectional survey and quasi experimental pre- and post-evaluation educational intervention study including structured questionnaire and take-home educational material. Results Results revealed that low compliance with the safety index significantly increased the risk of traffic injuries by 20% [OR = 0.80, 95% CI = (0.59–1.01)]. Whereas the medium category of the safety compliance index is significantly associated with an increasing number of injuries by 6% [OR = 0.94, 95% CI = (0.61–1.52)]. In contrast, both high and medium categories of risk behavior index increased the risk of traffic injuries [OR = 1.08, 95% CI = (0.82–1.43); OR = 0.80, 95% CI = (0.57–1.10), respectively]. Some improvement in risky behavioral practices was seen after the intervention including ‘not playing loud music’ [86.3%, ( P = 0.05)], ‘not using mobile phones’ [89.4%, ( P < 0.05)], and ‘not using unprofessional checkups of the car’ [71.5%, ( P < 0.05)]. Conclusion Ultimately, this unpleasant situation may recommend avoidance of these kinds of intermittent awareness programs; instead, embedding a continuous road safety learning within the life-long educational system as a better and more realistic intervention for reducing the number of road accidents and injuries. Further, establishing various modes of high-capacity city-link public transportation remains among the most recommended strategic and effective options that can curb road traffic injuries in the long run.