Challenges in Chennai City Traffic Control: Insights from Commuters’ Road Usage Practices

Abstract

Purpose

The objectives of the study were to find out all the entities that cause the road traffic in Chennai City and to analyze the various behavioral attitudes of various entities on road traffic in Chennai City.

Design/Methodology/Approach

The study was carried out with a mixed approach using questionnaires and interviews. The samples were drawn from the entire population of Chennai city on a random sampling basis from the entire Chennai city irrespective of whether the respondents belong to Chennai or not. 1242 persons were interviewed and their opinion was sought through observations made about the behaviors of pedestrians, 2-wheelers/3-wheelers, 4-wheelers, the license issuing authorities/RTOs, public work department personnel, and traffic police in Chennai.

Findings

The study revealed that the respondents observed the civic practices of the pedestrians as they hold phones while crossing the roads or pathways, do not bother to stop at signals, do not cross the roads in the zebra lines;  

the civic practices of the 2/3-wheelers as the drivers attend to phones while driving, jumping signals, plying their vehicles on the platform, driving without helmets, and switching on the indicator lights;

the civic practices of the 4-wheelers as cars using high beams within the city limits, not giving way to ambulances, honking near schools and hospitals, plying with one headlight;

the practices of public works department personnel as roads are not laid down properly, roads are laid in patches, the main roads, streets, and infrastructure are not maintained properly;

the practices of traffic police as government vehicles are not fined, and fine is collected by hand and bribery.

Research Limitations/Implications

The study suggested pedestrians cross the roads only in zebra crossings but with utmost care or pathways to avoid the habit of talking over the phones, pedestrians to cross the road only at the designated places using zebra crossings; Drivers of vehicles must avoid phones while driving; Avoid jumping signals; not to drive in the opposite direction—enough number of Government buses to be plied to avoid the crowd. Ambulances should be given priority and no honking near schools, hospitals, etc. Traffic police should penalize heavy vehicles with fused/not working headlights. RTOs should include signal tests, eye tests in the driving license eligibility tests in India, and re-issuance of driving licenses should be done to check physical fitness. Traffic rules violators must be severely penalized regardless of whether they are Government or private vehicles. To avoid bribery traffic police should not collect fines in hand but rather through online. Drunken drivers should not be left free and fined.

Social Implications

The study suggested how the behavior of the pedestrians’ carelessness while crossing the roads, the vehicle riders’ irresponsible driving, and the needed responsibility of RTOs/PWDs/traffic police will change the traffic system into a safe traffic environment.

Originality / Value

This study is the first kind of its own as it examines the behaviors of pedestrians, 2-wheelers/4-wheelers, Public Works Department Personnel, License Issuing Authority/Regional Transport Office, and Traffic Police whose behavior affects the Chennai city traffic and suggests solutions to overcome.