Promoting Sustainable Mobility Through Car Use Reduction: The Importance of Situational Factors

Abstract

Rising car ownership and use worldwide is in several respects a threat to the environment. Transport researchers and policymakers have suggested and implemented policy measures to reduce car use and encouraged pro-environmental travel behaviour. The success or failure of these policies depends on a robust understanding of the factors influencing car use behaviour and most importantly situational factors facilitating car use. A sound understanding of the situational factors is the key to the effectiveness and success of car use reduction policies. This study examines the importance of car use facilitating situational factors in the promotion of sustainable mobility in urban areas. Data were obtained in a cross-sectional survey of 691 motorists in Lagos, Nigeria through purposive sampling technique, while the data analysis was done using partial least square structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results indicated car access, time pressure and car use intention contributed 43% explained variance in car use behaviour. Car access had the largest direct effect on car use behaviour, followed by time pressure. Considering all the constructs in the model, car use intention was responsible for most of the variation in car use behaviour. The implications of the results from this study regarding the promotion of sustainable transportation and car use reduction are discussed.