Engineering Students’ Awareness, Understanding, and Perception of TIA and RSA in Malaysia Construction Industry

Traffic Impact Assessment (TIA) and Road Safety Audit (RSA) are critical tools in ensuring traffic efficiency, infrastructure sustainability, and road user safety in construction and urban development. However, limited research has been conducted to evaluate the awareness and understanding of these tools among engineering students who are future industry practitioners. This study investigates the impact of a technical briefing on students’ awareness, understanding, and perception of TIA and RSA. A quantitative survey was administered to 77 undergraduate engineering students using a structured questionnaire that assessed self-rated knowledge before and after the online webinar, as well as their awareness and perception of TIA and RSA. The results revealed a statistically significant improvement in students’ understanding following the session, with high levels of awareness (M = 4.17) and positive perceptions (M = 4.31) across all key indicators. Reliability analysis showed excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s α > .92), and independent samples t-tests indicated no significant gender differences across awareness, understanding, or perception. While students expressed confidence in their conceptual grasp of TIA and RSA, their moderate confidence in applying these tools in professional settings suggests the need for enhanced experiential learning. The study concludes that while technical briefings are effective, integration of TIA and RSA into engineering curricula through hands-on training and case-based learning is essential to bridge the gap between theory and practice.