The role of safety and security factors on people's willingness to walk Case study: Farhangian Town in Marvdasht City

Subject Areas : Urban planning

Hasan Sotoude ¹ , Sara Ranjbar ²

1 - PhD Student in Urban Planning, Yasouj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yasouj, Iran
2 - PhD Student in Urban Planning , Yasouj Branch, Islamic Azad University, Yasouj, Iran

Received: 2025-04-21 Accepted : 2025-08-11 Published : 2025-12-20

Keywords: Safety, Security, Pedestrians, Factor Analysis, Marvdasht City,

Abstract :

Generally, any type of transportation starts with walking, even if this walking time is very short and the distance is small. Therefore, walking is an essential part of a non-motorized transportation method, especially in urban environments, hence to achieve safe walkable environments, many researches and different tools have been used to provide a safe and secure environment for pedestrians. Many studies conducted in the field of walkability of urban environments have focused on a combination of variables such as density, diversity and accessibility to the destination, while one of the factors influencing pedestrian movement and also encouraging people to walk is providing a safe environment for walking. According to Sergey Chermayeff, the car is the number 1 enemy of human societies and urban planners have tried to encourage people to use motorized transportation less. From the perspective of urban planning, the design of modern cities is based on the priority of the car. While this type of urban planning has reduced the quality of life by eliminating the dynamics of life and the warm relationships between people in the past, and the separation of people from public gathering centers has reduced social interactions, while walking on the sidewalk creates many positive interactions between city dwellers. The present research method is an applied questionnaire-based one. First, by reviewing the theoretical foundations and literature related to the subject, the factors explaining security and safety that affect people's willingness to walk were extracted, and then, using a researcher-made questionnaire, the extent of their impact on people's willingness to walk was measured. The data were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis in LISREL software. Also, the statistical population of the research includes all people living in the Farhangian neighborhood of Marvdasht city, who were selected using a random sampling method. Content analysis was used to examine the reliability of the questionnaire.Results of the study showed that the feeling comfort while walking index, with 48 percent of the variance, has the greatest impact on people's willingness to walk. In second place is the fear of being hit by a car index with 40 percent of the variance. The fear of crime index is in the third position of the influential variable, which accounts for 32 percent of the variance of the model. In fourth place, we are faced with the women and children safety index with 23 percent of the variance, and in fifth place is the ease of crossing the street index, which accounts for 16 percent of the variance.

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