Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice regarding Road Traffic Signs and Regulations among the General Population of Misurata City, Libya

• Mohammed Ben Saud

  Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Omar Alhaddad

  Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Salem Shenaisheh

  Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Anas Ben Amer

  Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Mohamed Shetshat

  Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Najah Arrotob

  Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Noura Aljamal

  Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Ahmed Swesi

  Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Kahlil Albergli

  Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya

  Author

• Hoda Alareesh

  Department of Family and Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Misurata University, Misurata, Libya

  Author

Road Traffic Accidents (RTA) are considered a public health issue in Libya; they show a social and economic impact on the families and the country. Most studies showed that 75-95% of RTA is caused by human error, and drivers’ behavior was revealed to be the main cause of road traffic accidents in many countries. Countries with low and moderate income had higher traffic death rates than high-income countries.  The study aims to assess the knowledge, attitudes, and practices of the general population in Misurata city regarding traffic rules. A cross-sectional study was conducted through an electronic self-administered questionnaire composed of 17 questions regarding knowledge, attitude, and practice of road traffic regulations among the general population resident in Misurata city, Libya. The questionnaire was sent to social media groups in the period between May 1st, 2023, and December 31st, 2023.  A total of 417 participants, 273 (65.5%) male and 144 (34.5%) female, 3 out of 4 questions of the knowledge domain had good scores, all three questions of the attitude domain had good scores, while 5 out of 9 questions of the practice domain had low scores. Most of the drivers are aware of the traffic rules and have adequate knowledge, which is required to form a truly safe driving environment. However, the majority are violating a number of regulations regardless of their gender, age, and educational level; they do not practice the ideal driver’s behavior. This demands a strict plan and regulations to decrease the social and economic burden of these accidents.

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