Evaluating the Effectiveness of Winter Safety Interventions for Motorized Two-Wheeler (MTW) Users: A Case Study of Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab, India

Abstract

Winter months present significant safety challenges for Motorized Two-Wheeler (MTW) users in India due to environmental risks such as fog, poor visibility, extreme cold, and slippery road surfaces. This study investigates the adoption and effectiveness of safety interventions among MTW users in Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab. A structured survey (N = 280 riders), incorporating adapted items from the Motorcycle Rider Behaviour Questionnaire (MRBQ), particularly focusing on Protective Behaviours, was used. Supplementary interviews with traffic officers and observational studies were conducted to assess system-level perspectives. The study is guided by Risk Compensation Theory (RCT), the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), and the Safe System Approach (SSA), offering a holistic view of both individual behaviour and systemic shortcomings. Findings reveal low adoption of key winter safety measures, including only 22.1% helmet usage and 7.1% of riders conducting battery checks. Stakeholders emphasized that enhancing safety awareness, visibility-enhancing gear, fog light usage, and route planning were critical. Despite widespread recognition of these interventions, adoption remains limited due to cultural beliefs (such as turban use in place of helmets), cost, awareness gaps, and infrastructure constraints. The study recommends targeted education, accessible safety gear, and seasonal campaigns to promote winter preparedness among MTW riders.

Introduction

Motorized Two-Wheelers (MTWs) like motorcycles and scooters are widely used in semi-urban India due to affordability and ease of use, constituting over 74% of registered vehicles and involved in nearly 45% of fatal accidents. Winter conditions, especially fog and low temperatures, increase safety risks for MTW riders. In Punjab alone, fog-related accidents caused significant fatalities in 2022.

This study focuses on evaluating winter safety interventions for MTW riders in Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab, an industrial town with high MTW use and frequent fog. Using surveys (280 riders), observations, and interviews with traffic officers, the research assessed riders’ adoption of protective behaviours and challenges.

Key findings include:

• Low usage of critical safety measures such as helmets (22%), fog lights (9%), and vehicle checks.

• High usage of warm clothing and gloves but neglect of vehicle maintenance and visibility aids.

• Cultural factors like the turban exemption reduce helmet use.

• Enforcement of helmet laws is weak, and illiteracy and cultural norms affect compliance.

• Riders and passengers strongly support winter safety training, stricter law enforcement, improved road infrastructure, and awareness campaigns.

Observations confirmed poor helmet and reflective gear use and minimal safety checks. The study interprets results using three theories: Risk Compensation (some riders take more risks when using protective gear), Theory of Planned Behaviour (peer influence and social norms affect behaviour), and Safe System Approach (infrastructure and enforcement gaps limit safety).

Conclusion

This study reveals a critical gap between awareness and adoption of winter safety interventions among MTW riders in Mandi Gobindgarh. Cultural beliefs, low literacy, weak enforcement, and lack of affordable safety gear contribute to the problem. While there is recognition of the importance of safety practices, actual usage of helmets, fog lights, and maintenance checks remains low. To improve winter safety outcomes, the study recommends: 1) Distribute affordable, winter-specific MTW safety kits. 2) Implement culturally sensitive training and education campaigns. 3) Improve lighting, signage, and surface maintenance in accident-prone areas. 4) Strictly enforce helmet laws, including during short-distance trips. 5) Promote pre-winter safety inspections through public-private partnerships. A combination of behavioural change strategies and systemic improvements is essential to enhance winter riding safety for MTW users in high-risk regions.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Victoria Adama Alpha, Er. Heena Manzoor. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.