Factors influencing road safety in a region

Introduction: currently, traffic is an essential element of organization of any social space therefore there is a need to ensure safety for all road users. In this regard, the need to study the safety factors and causes of accidents in road traffic in order to prevent them has not only scientific but also practical significance and relevance. Materials and Methods: the article is based on two sociological surveys (questionnaires), conducted by the Center for Family and Demography of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan: a study of professional drivers (2016, 400 respondents) and mass survey (2015, 1,600 respondents) on issues of traffic safety in the cities of this region. Results: the study identified two groups of factors influencing road safety: the objective and subjective ones. The first ones involve the con­dition of the road and transport infrastructure (quality of road surface, markings, illumination, length of roads, condition of the road network, parking spots, etc.) and condition of vehicles (level of wear, level of passive safety, etc.). Subjective factors include the level of transport and professional culture (compliance and discipline) of drivers (alcohol intake when driving a vehicle) and of pedestrians (crossing in a wrong place), the experience and skill of drivers (driving experience), of the road police officers, the level of knowledge of traffic rules among all road users, psychological qualities (reaction time, attention, etc.). According to the survey, the most significant factors determining the level of road safety in the Republic of Tatarstan are the subjective ones, those associated with a low level of traffic culture among both drivers and pedestrians. The third largest group includes the objective factors (related to road infrastructure), poor road surface, poor cleaning of roads in winter and the lack of highways and interchanges which definitely affects the increase in the number of road accidents. Discussion and Conclusions: road traffic as a necessary condition of vital activity of modern society is one of the important needs of society to provide spatial mobility of people and goods. For it to be success-fully satisfied, a competent and efficient organization of the system of road safety is necessary. Using the potential of social science and conducting monitoring of road safety, it is possible to identify the factors and the causes of the increase in the number of road accidents and to prevent traffic accidents in a timely manner.