Cultural Lag in Safety in Indonesia: A Case in Yogyakarta

Abstract

High motorisation resulting from high economic growth in Indonesia has brought rapid growth in road transport especially in cities in Java. At the same time, agricultural based culture is shifting towards industrialisation which demands more transport services. In this rapid change, the traffic safety aspect doesn’t seem to keep in pace with such high development in road transport. In the last few years, the number of accidents involving larger number of victims are increasing, although it is not reflected in our national statistics. It is believed that one of the root problems has been the existence of a cultural lag of drivers and road users which is unable to keep pace with the impacts of high growth of vehicles and road system and their interactions.

This paper aims at looking into some cultural elements in Javanese traditions in relation to road and traffic aspects which may have detrimental effects in road safety. Some elements investigated include: behavioral aspects of drivers, human factors in driving, driving licence system with special case of Yogyakarta-the centre of Javanese culture.

Some results from 50 respondents involved in accidents in 1997 show the dominance of human factor in traffic accident. It is also evident that the poor education system and the ease of obtaining driving licence have made the attitude of drivers to traditional slow-non motorised traffic operation remain operate in a fast moving motorised traffic which in result making the traffic operation so dangerously.