Ford India today released the findings of its annual road safety survey. In its third wave, the Ford Cartesy survey brings forth underlying triggers and barriers to ideal road behaviour and highlights the need for an extensive and holistic Road Safety Education program to lay the foundations for safer and saner road use.
“At Ford, we not only offer enhanced safety in our vehicles but believe that small changes we make in our attitude and behaviour go a long way in ensuring that our roads become safer,” said Vinay Raina, executive director – Marketing, Sales & Service at Ford India. “The Ford Cartesy survey in its third year is not a critique of users, road infrastructure or enforcement authorities but highlights how ‘mindfulness’ demonstrated by every single citizen can help makes roads a safer and saner place.”
Revelations from Ford Cartesy Survey highlight:
▪ Lack of Knowledge About Traffic Rules: Most respondents with driving licence feigned ignorance of basic traffic rules. Only one in 10 respondents attributed the lack of knowledge about rules as a potential risk to road safety. In a 31-question simulation of traffic rules, less than a third (27%) scored over 40% and an abysmally low 6% of them got more than 50% answers right .
▪ Mobile Phone A Real Distraction: While 1 in 3 respondents feel the traffic situation in their city varies between very bad to extremely bad, 97% think ‘Distracted Driving’ (due to use of the mobile phone) and 81% think ‘Aggressive Driving’ are the top causes of accidents in the country.
▪ Moment of Truth: On average, nearly half of the commuters admitted to not displaying ideal behaviour that adheres to Compliance, Caution, and Compassion. Distracted driving comes up as the most deviant behaviour to Compliance, with 58% respondents admitting to talking on the phone while driving, 63% finding it ok to seat their kids in the front row, and 58% drive even when they are feeling sleepy.
▪ Genuine Compassion Is Still A Long Way: 53% respondents confessed they don’t always make way for emergency vehicles like an ambulance or fire truck. While, 57% do not mind throwing eatables, empty wrappers and fruit peels on the road.
Ford Cartesy Survey dug further into the deep ‘Attitudinal vs. Behavioural’ analysis of drivers and commuters, categorizing them in four personality types –
The Oblivious: Road users who display the least idealistic behaviour; characterized as impulsive, preoccupied & lacking knowledge of road rules & safety guidelines.
The Assured: Appear easy-going, but prone to demonstrating aggression, competitiveness and entitlement at the smallest triggers. They claim to know their way around rules.
The Pretentious: Aware of road rules and ideal behaviour. But quick to deviate from doing the right thing and are ready with justifications that explain their behaviour.
The Idealist: Not just law-abiding and selfaware, but do not break rules unless there is an emergency or a “compulsion beyond control”.
Need more ‘Idealists’ on roads. Attitudinal stereotypes influence city performance on Cartesy. Cities with a greater proportion of ‘The Oblivious’ have the lowest Cartesy scores. Majority of drivers, about 40%, surveyed can be characterized as ‘The Oblivious’, followed by ‘The Assured’ at 27%, ‘The Pretentious’ at 25%, and ‘The Idealists’ make up for just 8% Of the six major metros, Kolkata and Chennai took lead on all Cartesy scores with the highest proportion of Idealists – 22% and 20% respectively. Delhi and Bangalore showed a lot of room for improvement with the highest proportion of Oblivious – 49% and 62% respectively. Mumbai and Hyderabad acquired third and fourth positions respectively with 21% each of the Oblivious. Attitudinal stereotypes influence city performance on Cartesy. Cities with a greater proportion of ‘The Oblivious’ have the lowest Cartesy scores.
Ford India’s Cartesy Campaign aims to encourage drivers to be courteous behind the wheels while highlighting behavioural issues that impact safe driving in India. In this edition of the survey, a total of 1,561 interviews were conducted across 6 metro cities – Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Kolkata, Chennai, and Hyderabad. Each city was divided into five zones (East, West, North, South and Central) and respondents were interviewed from each zone to ensure a fair representation across a city. 78% of the respondents were males and remaining females.