Research on the cross-campus unsafe cycling behavior of university students based on cycling habits and risk perception

Cross-campus cycling among university students is increasingly common, yet unsafe cycling behaviors pose significant safety risks. Existing studies have rarely examined the combined roles of cycling habits and risk perception within a unified theoretical framework. This study aims to investigate the influencing mechanisms of unsafe cycling behavior among cross-campus university students based on an extended social-psychological model. An improved Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model incorporating cycling habits and risk perception was developed. A total of 492 valid questionnaires were collected from university students engaged in cross-campus travel. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to test the proposed model and examine the relationships among variables. The results indicate that the improved TPB model shows significant associations with unsafe cycling behavior. Both cycling habits and risk perception exert direct and indirect effects within the model framework. Compared with the traditional TPB model, the improved model demonstrates a better fit and explains an additional 11% of the variance in behavior. These findings support the effectiveness and rationality of extending the TPB model to better understand unsafe cycling behavior. However, due to the cross-sectional design and reliance on self-reported data, causal relationships cannot be firmly established. The study provides practical insights for developing targeted interventions to improve cycling safety among university students.