Parseh Designers Transportation Research Institute Quarterly Journal of Transportation Engineering 2008-6598 17 3 2026 03 21 Investigating Helmet Use Behavior by Motorcyclists Using Logistic Regression (Case Study: Yazd City) Investigating Helmet Use Behavior by Motorcyclists Using Logistic Regression (Case Study: Yazd City) 5581 5614 232586 10.22119/jte.2025.533368.2741 FA Seyed Abouzar Hoseini Aghda Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Civil Engineering, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran Hamed Khani Sanij Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran Mojtaba Rajabi-Bahaabadi Assistant Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran 0000-0002-1392-5729 Journal Article 2025 07 09 <span>Although motorcycles provide relatively low levels of safety for their users, their prevalence has been steadily increasing, particularly in developing countries. This is largely driven by key advantages, including the ability to bypass traffic congestion and comparatively lower acquisition and operating costs relative to automobiles. Nevertheless, motorcycle crashes account for a disproportionately high share of urban traffic-related fatalities and injuries. Prior research has consistently demonstrated that the use of standard helmets is the most effective strategy for mitigating such injuries. However, a continuing challenge for policymakers in the domains of public health and traffic safety is the limited compliance of motorcyclists with helmet-use regulations<span dir="RTL" lang="FA">.</span> In the present study, data were collected through questionnaires completed by motorcyclists in Yazd and analyzed using binary logistic regression to identify the determinants of helmet use and assess the importance of each determinant. After establishing the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, the items were organized into ten conceptual categories. The findings indicate that three broad dimensions, </span>namely <span>motorcyclists’ attitudes, helmet-related characteristics, and the enforcement of traffic laws, play decisive roles in helmet-use behavior. Among these, limited awareness of traffic regulations emerged as the most influential deterrent. This was followed by physical discomfort associated with helmets, dissatisfaction due to heat, and weak enforcement by police authorities. Additional factors, including misperceptions regarding the low likelihood of accidents, misbeliefs about helmet effectiveness, the high cost of helmets, and fear of negative social judgment, also exerted statistically significant but comparatively weaker negative effects on helmet use.</span> <span>Although motorcycles provide relatively low levels of safety for their users, their prevalence has been steadily increasing, particularly in developing countries. This is largely driven by key advantages, including the ability to bypass traffic congestion and comparatively lower acquisition and operating costs relative to automobiles. Nevertheless, motorcycle crashes account for a disproportionately high share of urban traffic-related fatalities and injuries. Prior research has consistently demonstrated that the use of standard helmets is the most effective strategy for mitigating such injuries. However, a continuing challenge for policymakers in the domains of public health and traffic safety is the limited compliance of motorcyclists with helmet-use regulations<span dir="RTL" lang="FA">.</span> In the present study, data were collected through questionnaires completed by motorcyclists in Yazd and analyzed using binary logistic regression to identify the determinants of helmet use and assess the importance of each determinant. After establishing the validity and reliability of the questionnaire, the items were organized into ten conceptual categories. The findings indicate that three broad dimensions, </span>namely <span>motorcyclists’ attitudes, helmet-related characteristics, and the enforcement of traffic laws, play decisive roles in helmet-use behavior. Among these, limited awareness of traffic regulations emerged as the most influential deterrent. This was followed by physical discomfort associated with helmets, dissatisfaction due to heat, and weak enforcement by police authorities. Additional factors, including misperceptions regarding the low likelihood of accidents, misbeliefs about helmet effectiveness, the high cost of helmets, and fear of negative social judgment, also exerted statistically significant but comparatively weaker negative effects on helmet use.</span> https://jte.sinaweb.net/article_232586_a2dd48c2bd96858364b91bfd0beae6c2.pdf