Inequalities in traffic safety: Literature review & conceptual framework

Abstract

This report aims to provide a conceptual framework for research about inequality in traffic safety, in particular inequality in traffic safety for different socioeconomic and cultural groups. The framework is first of all built on definitions of concepts concerning culture and socioeconomic characteristics and on the elaboration or measurement of these concepts in research. As a next step, determinants and mechanisms in the broader field of health and health inequalities are described. Finally, these determinants and mechanisms are used as a basis for similar determinants and mechanisms in traffic safety. The report ends with examples of models that are useful to investigate and explain inequality in traffic safety. The literature search and selection followed an informal, rather inductive method, with some basic references (e.g. Laflamme, Burrows & Hasselberg, 2009; Factor, Mahalel & Yair, 2007; Steinbach et al., 2010) as a starting point. It ended the moment that the framework seemed solid and meaningful. We did not intend to give a complete overview of the literature available in the field of cultural and socioeconomic differences in health or traffic safety.