Do University Students’ Security Perceptions Influence Their Walking Preferences and Their Walking Activity? A Case Study of Granada (Spain)

Carmen Lizarraga, Cathaysa Martín-Blanco, Isabel Castillo-Pérez and Jorge Chica-Olmo
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Cathaysa Martín-Blanco: Department of Civil Engineering, Campus Fuentenueva s/n, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Isabel Castillo-Pérez: Department of Applied Economics, Campus Cartuja s/n, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain
Jorge Chica-Olmo: Department of Quantitative Methods for Economics and Business, Campus Cartuja s/n, University of Granada, 18071 Granada, Spain

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-17

Abstract: A sustainable city must be a safe place for its inhabitants when walking, with the absence of fear of crime being one of its main attributes. Although perceived insecurity is one of the main deterrents of walking activity, this relationship requires some clarification in environments which are walkable and safe, with low crime rates. This article contributes to the evidence for the influence of perceived security on walking activity and, as a novel aspect, also analyzes the effects of perceived security on walking as the preferred travel mode. In order to study this relationship, we use a method that combines non-linear principal component analysis (NLPCA) and a logit model (LM). The data are taken from a survey of university students carried out in the city of Granada. Results show that gender and perceived security have a greater effect on the choice of walking as the preferred travel mode, while location factors have significantly more weight in the explanation of the choice of walking as the most usual travel mode. These findings may be extended to other urban areas and can be of use for the implementation of urban policies aimed at designing the built environment to develop more sustainable cities.

Keywords: security; walking; walkability; built environment; mobility; gender (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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