Public Relations Strategies for Promoting Road Safety: A Systematic Literature Review
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Abstract
Road traffic crashes remain a major public health and development concern, and road-user behaviour is central to crash risk. Communication interventions are widely used to influence this behaviour. However, the evidence on public relations (PR) strategies in road-safety promotion is scattered across disciplines. This study systematically reviewed the literature on PR strategies for promoting road safety. It examined the strategies employed, communication channels, target publics and road-safety issues, theoretical perspectives, reported outcomes, and gaps. The review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches covered Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar and African Journals Online for studies published between 2016 and 2026. Of 118 records identified, 14 peer-reviewed empirical studies met the inclusion criteria; nine were conducted in Nigeria. Findings were synthesised using deductive thematic analysis. Public education, awareness campaigns, media relations, face-to-face enlightenment, stakeholder engagement and campaign publicity were the dominant strategies. Radio and television were prominent channels, complemented by motor-park seminars, interpersonal communication and, more recently, social media. Studies reported a recurring knowledge–behaviour gap, in which exposure to messages did not consistently result in compliance. Commercial drivers were the main target public, while pedestrians, passengers, motorcyclists, cyclists and institutional stakeholders were rarely examined. Theoretical grounding was inconsistent: several studies reported no framework, and PR-specific theories were scarce. The review concludes that although road-safety communication increasingly resembles PR practice, the literature lacks PR-specific theoretical frameworks. Future research should apply PR perspectives across diverse road-user groups and geographical settings.
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