Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mobility in ten countries and associated perceived risk for all transport modes.
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2021
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Abstract
The restrictive measures implemented in response to the COVID-19 pandemic have trig-
gered sudden massive changes to travel behaviors of people all around the world. This study examines the individual mobility patterns for all transport modes (walk, bicycle, motor-
cycle, car driven alone, car driven in company, bus, subway, tram, train, airplane) before
and during the restrictions adopted in ten countries on six continents: Australia, Brazil,
China, Ghana, India, Iran, Italy, Norway, South Africa and the United States. This cross-
country study also aims at understanding the predictors of protective behaviors related to
the transport sector and COVID-19. Findings hinge upon an online survey conducted in May
2020 (N = 9,394). The empirical results quantify tremendous disruptions for both commuting
and non-commuting travels, highlighting substantial reductions in the frequency of all types
of trips and use of all modes. In terms of potential virus spread, airplanes and buses are per-
ceived to be the riskiest transport modes, while avoidance of public transport is consistently
found across the countries. According to the Protection Motivation Theory, the study sheds
new light on the fact that two indicators, namely income inequality, expressed as Gini index,
and the reported number of deaths due to COVID-19 per 100,000 inhabitants, aggravate
respondents’ perceptions. This research indicates that socio-economic inequality and mor-
bidity are not only related to actual health risks, as well documented in the relevant literature,
but also to the perceived risks. These findings document the global impact of the COVID-19
crisis as well as provide guidance for transportation practitioners in developing future
strategies.
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BARBIERI, D. M. et al. Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on mobility in ten countries and associated perceived risk for all transport modes. PLOS ONE, v. 16, fev. 2020. Disponível em: <https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0245886>. Acesso em: 29 abr. 2022.