Investigating the Impacts of Built Environment Knowledge on Hurricane Evacuation Intentions in a College Student Sample: A Test of the Power of Information

During hurricanes, residents’ evacuation decisions are significantly influenced by their knowledge and risk perceptions. However, many residents may lack a precise understanding of the structural integrity of their homes and the associated risks during hurricane events, which often impedes their ability to make well-informed evacuation decisions. To better understand the knowledge and risk perceptions of individuals regarding their residential homes and how these factors affect their hurricane evacuation intentions, a survey framework was developed and tested with underground civil engineering students in this study. The interactive survey first evaluated respondents’ knowledge about the structure characteristics of their homes, and then inquired about their evacuation intentions under various hypothetical hurricane scenarios, when presented with descriptive and visual disaster information. Seventy valid survey responses were collected and analyzed. Results indicated that many of the respondents lacked an adequate understanding of their residential structures and their potential performance under hurricane-induced loading. Only 20% of respondents could accurately identify all critical components and characteristics of their structures. More than 50% of respondents admitted that they had overestimated the strength of their structures after learning about their individual building scores. The results emphasized the positive impact of using visual aids to convey disaster information, enhancing respondents’ knowledge and risk perception, which in turn promoted informed evacuation decisions. While the survey results cannot be generalized due to the specificity of the target population, they underscore the effectiveness of the survey framework and provide valuable insights into how one’s structural knowledge and exposure to visual aids could influence hurricane evacuation intentions.