A Data-driven Approach to Study the Influence of Social Media on Human Behaviours in Transportation

Estimating traffic conditions and accounting for accidents when deciding on a daily commute route is challenging. Modern technologies like GPS and navigation systems such as Google Maps are commonly used, and with the rise of social media, many people also share traffic-related information online. This research focuses on X (formerly Twitter), one of the biggest social media platforms. Previous studies suggest that social media posts can accurately detect traffic events like incidents and congestion. This raises the question: do these influence users' routing decisions? This research analyses how traffic-related information from X can be used to understand its impact on travel decisions by comparing real-time traffic conditions with and without the presence of relevant social media posts to investigate a potential correlation, providing insights into whether this influence should be embraced or approached with caution.