THE MEDIATING ROLE OF REGULATORY STRATEGIES IN ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE ROAD SAFETY IN MALAYSIA: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS USING PLS-SEM

Abstract

Road accidents constitute a persistent global public health and global crisis, demanding comprehensive and systematic intervention, particularly within rapidly developing, middle-income nations like Malaysia. This investigation addresses the critical need for effective policy evaluation by examining the determinants of Sustainable Road Safety (SRS) through the lens of a mediated structural model. Specifically, the study explores the influence of the Human Factor and Environment Factor on sustainable road safety, concurrently analysing the mediating role of Regulatory Strategies within this relationship. The research employed a rigorous quantitative methodology, collecting data via a survey from a target sample of 363 respondents across the states of Selangor, Kuala Lumpur, and Johor Bahru regions significantly affected by high road accident incidence in Malaysia. The resultant data were subsequently analysed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM). The empirical analysis confirmed that all proposed path relationships were positive and statistically significant. The findings demonstrate that both the Human Factor (ß = 0.187 < 0.001) and the Environment Factor (ß = 0.283 < 0.001) significantly influence Regulatory Strategies. Crucially, the analysis confirms that Regulatory Strategies serve as a vital, positive, and significant mediator, actively channeling the effects of the antecedent factors toward Sustainable Road Safety. This indicates that the effectiveness of human- and environment-focused interventions is contingent upon the regulatory framework that formalizes and enforces them. Practically, the findings necessitate that policymaker prioritize the strategic design and robust enforcement of targeted regulations to institutionalize positive changes and effectively reduce road accident among Malaysia drivers.