Prevalence and factors associated with turn signal neglect-related crashes among motorcyclists and car drivers in Vietnam

Road traffic crashes and injuries are a major societal challenge around the world. However, the majority of injuries and fatalities occur disproportionately in low-income and medium-income countries. Previous studies have concluded that risky behaviours were the main contributing factor of traffic crashes. Turn signal neglect (TSN) when making a turn is one of those risky behaviours. Unfortunately, research on TSN has been very limited. This study investigates the prevalence of TSN-related crashes and factors affecting TSN among motorcyclists and car drivers. Data was obtained from self-administered questionnaires conducted in Vietnam. The findings showed that 17.54% of motorcyclists and 14.76% of car drivers have experienced at least one crash caused by their failure to turn signals in the last three years. Additionally, fewer years having a riding/driving license, longer daily travelling time, lower frequency of turn signal use, and having received a fine due to TSN were found to be positively associated with TSN-related crashes for both motorcyclists and car drivers. The findings highlight the importance of TSN for road safety and the need for authorities to develop more effective educational strategies and to increase traffic law enforcement.     

After you?! – Use of external human-machine interfaces in road bottleneck scenarios

In the near future, automated vehicles (AVs) will enter the urban transport system. This fact will lead to mixed traffic consisting of AVs, human car drivers and vulnerable road users. Since the AV’s passenger no longer has to monitor the driving scene, conventional communication does not exist anymore, which is essential for traffic efficiency and safety. In research, there are plenty of studies focusing on how AVs could communicate with pedestrians. One approach is to use external human-machine interfaces (eHMIs) on the AV’s surface. In contrast to the studies dealing with AV-pedestrian communication, this paper focuses on communication strategies of AVs with drivers of regular vehicles in different road bottleneck scenarios. The eHMI development and design is building on previously defined requirements and on fundamentals of human visual perception. After designing several eHMI drafts, we conducted a user survey with 29 participants resulting in the final eHMI concept. The evaluation of the evolved eHMI was conducted in a driving simulator experiment with 43 participants investigating the AV-human driver interaction at road bottlenecks. The participants were assigned either to the experimental group being faced with the eHMI or to the baseline group without explicit communication. The results show significantly shorter passing times and fewer crashes among the human drivers in the group with the eHMI. Additionally, the paper researches the aftereffects of an automation failure, where the AV first yields the right of way and then changes its strategy and insisted on priority. Experiencing the automation failure is reflected in increased passing times, reduced acceptance ratings and a lower perceived usefulness. In conclusion, especially in unregulated bottleneck scenarios flawless communication via eHMIs increases traffic efficiency and safety.     

Investigating the individual and organisational predictors of work-related driving crash involvement in Ethiopia

The rate of road traffic injury and death in Ethiopia is at a critical level when compared to rates in high-income countries. Considering the enormity of this issue, research is to identify groups of high-risk road users and the factors contributing to their crash involvement. This study focuses on work-related drivers. This study explores driving behaviour as a mediator of the relationship between organisational and individual attribute factors and self-reported crashes in a sample of 213 work-related drivers in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The hypothesised framework identifies driving behaviour as the most proximal determinant of self-reported crashes, and safety values, role overload and self-efficacy as antecedents of driving behaviour. With the exception of the relationship between self-efficacy and driving behaviour, all the hypothesised relationships were supported. We make recommendations for intervention approaches that are theoretically focused and sensitive to the cultural context.     

Contributing factors to motorcycle injury crashes in Victoria,Australia

IntroductionThe increased popularity of powered two wheelers (PTWs) in Australia, combined with their vulnerability in the event of a crash, necessitates new strategies to prevent serious injury crashes. The purpose of this study was to use case-series data collected from a recent motorcycle case-control study to analyse contributing factors to crashes using a safe systems approach.MethodsA total of 235 injured riders were recruited and completed a questionnaire-based interview, each followed by a detailed inspection of the case motorcycle and crash site by a trained crash investigator. Primary and secondary contributors to the crash were judged based on all available information sources. Analysis of the most frequent contributing factors included separation of cases into single and multi-vehicle crashes. A stepwise logistic regression was used to test for factors associated with human error for multi-vehicle crashes.ResultsTwo thirds of crashes investigated involved another vehicle or road user(s). For multi-vehicle crashes the most common crash scenario involved another vehicle failing to give way to the rider, and the primary contributor was a perception failure or traffic scan error on the part of the other road user. A number of secondary factors were found to be significantly associated with human error type (other road user or rider error), including rider age, traffic density, inappropriate speed of the PTW, and a road design issue. For single vehicle crashes, the most common primary contributor was a misjudgement or control error on the part of the rider, with inappropriate speed as the most frequent secondary contributor.ConclusionsDespite the complexity of factors involved in PTW crashes resulting in injury, a number of significant associations exist between road users as the primary contributing factor (rider or other road user) and secondary factors, including rider age, traffic density, speed and road design issues.     

The influence of attention allocation and age on intersection accidents

Many severe accidents occur in urban areas. As part of the research project UR:BAN, this study investigated the causes of driver errors (e.g., inadequate attention allocation) in urban areas when turning left at intersections. As intersection accidents are especially difficult for older drivers, differences between older and younger drivers were examined as well. In a first step, accident protocols of left turn crashes with pedestrians and bicyclists were analysed in detail, since they are the most dangerous ones. Characteristics of the oncoming traffic and the location of crossing bicyclists and pedestrians were identified as possible causes. Accordingly, critical scenarios were implemented in a static driving simulator, varying the characteristics of the oncoming traffic, the direction and location of crossing vulnerable road users. These factors were examined in a within-subject design, with two different aged groups of participants (12 aged 20–35 y, 12 aged 65+ y; between-subjects factor).The results revealed that the presence of the oncoming traffic, which was assumed to capture the drivers’ attention, did not lead to more accidents with vulnerable road users. However, this may be because many drivers waited until the oncoming traffic had passed. Unexpectedly, older drivers had fewer accidents. This may be explained by the more cautious behaviour of older drivers, who drove significantly slower and waited significantly longer at the stop line before turning. Further analyses showed that a more cautious behaviour, independently of the age, predicted accident avoidance better than attention allocation. From these results, warning systems for younger and older drivers, especially for those not driving cautious, need to be developed. This idea will be tested in future studies introducing different warning concepts.     

Validation of the Cycling Behavior Questionnaire: A tool for measuring cyclists' road behaviors

IntroductionEven though cycling is an activity whose benefits in terms of urban mobility and health are globally recognized, its disproportional growth during the past few decades has led to some unexpected dynamics. In fact, the increasing number of traffic injuries and deaths involving cyclists has a high cost for public health systems. Considering the available empirical evidence, aberrant and positive behaviors on the road constitute relevant predictors for the injuries suffered by road users. Nevertheless, the scarcity of tools that measure and evaluate the behavior of road users, especially in the case of cyclists, constitutes a serious lack in terms of explaining, intervening and preventing traffic crashes through behavioral approaches.ObjectiveThis study had two essential purposes: first, to describe in detail the validation of measurement of risky and positive road user behaviors of cyclists using the Cycling Behavior Questionnaire. Second, to compare the mean scores of the validated version of the CBQ according to demographic and cycling-related factors.MethodAs a part of a larger collaborative research project, our data was collected from 1064 Spanish-speaking cyclists (between 17 and 80 years old) from 20 countries, who filled out an anonymous electronic survey on their riding behaviors. The data was analyzed using competitive Confirmatory Factor Analyses (CFA), thus obtaining basic psychometric values and an optimized structure for the scale.ResultsThe obtained results suggest that the CBQ has a clear factorial structure, items with high factorial weight, and good internal consistency. In particular, the results of the latent variable model with three factors, which were labeled errors, violations and positive behaviors, show that the CBQ is satisfactorily adjusted.ConclusionThe findings of this research support the idea that the CBQ may have important applications in the improvement of road safety through the study of cyclists' behavioral factors and their relationship to demographic and cycling-related factors.     

Instruction-prompted objective behaviors as proxy for subjective measures in a driving simulator

Interactions with other road users and interpretations of traffic situations are important aspects of driving safety. Self-reports are often used to study drivers’ perceptions and attitudes but self-reports can be inaccurate and biased because of socially desirable responding. Driving simulators offer objective measures of driver behaviors but have limited ability to elicit natural behaviors. To address this issue, we tested a driving simulator-based approach that combined realistic driving scenarios including potentially frustrating forward obstacles and delays in travel time with two different types of instructions. Participants' vehicle control behaviors and subjective perception of traffic delays were compared. Results demonstrated that behaviors collected following instructions to drive safely did not have significant associations with participants’ perceptions of the traffic delays while participants following instructions to drive quickly demonstrated behaviors that were predictive of their subjective perceptions of the traffic delays. The findings suggest that vehicle control behaviors can be used as a proxy for subjective perceptions of traffic delays. We conclude that driving simulator methodology combining instructions, realistic traffic scenarios, and adaptive analytical methods is appropriate for studying drivers’ behaviors and interactions with other road users and can minimize the need to rely on subjective self-reports.     

Risky behaviours associated with traffic crashes among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers in Vietnam

Motorcycle taxi services provide an important mobility option for people in developing countries. With the emergence of new transport technologies, app-based motorcycle taxi services have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, little is known about risky driving behaviours and their association with traffic crashes among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers. Through a survey of 602 app-based motorcycle taxi drivers from three cities in Vietnam, this research aimed to investigate the incidence of risky driving behaviours and their association with driver characteristics and traffic crashes. Using a mobile phone while driving was found to be the most common risky driving behaviour (52%) among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers, followed by neglecting to use turn signals (31%), encroaching car lanes (25%), exceeding the speed limit (21%), running red lights (19%) and carrying more than one passenger (17%). In addition, drivers who were students, or those who worked more than 50 h per week, were found to be more likely to engage in risky driving behaviours. Binary logistic regression modelling showed that neglecting to use turn signals, carrying more than one passenger and smoking while driving was significantly associated with self-reported active crash/fall involvement. Turn signal neglect was also associated with active injury crash/fall involvement. The incidence of risky driving behaviours and associated crash involvement was found to be lower among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers compared with regular motorcyclists, yet the findings still highlight the need for ride-hailing firms to deliver improved education and road safety training for their drivers.     

Disparity of motorcycle helmet use in Nepal – Weak law enforcement or riders' reluctance?

Like many low- and middle-income countries, Nepal is experiencing a massive motorization, predominantly from increased use of motorcycles which is driving a surge in road-related injuries and fatalities. Motorcycles and their riders have been identified as a focal point for road traffic injury prevention measures. While helmet use is mandatory for both motorcycle drivers and passengers, fines for helmet non-use are only levied on drivers, not on passengers, and it is unclear how this unequal enforcement translates to helmet use rates in Nepal. Hence, a video-based observation on motorcyclists’ helmet use was conducted alongside a questionnaire survey on fatalism, perceived police enforcement, risk-taking personality, and perceived usefulness of helmets. For the observation and questionnaire survey, seven rural and urban sites were selected from all seven provinces of Nepal, representing varied populations, road environments, and elevations. The observation of the helmet use behavior of 2548 motorcycle riders revealed an alarming picture of helmet use in Nepal. While more than 98% of observed motorcycle drivers in Nepal used a motorcycle helmet, less than 1% of observed passengers did so. Interviews of 220 riders show that the absence of a fine for helmet non-use by passengers is accompanied by an unawareness of the traffic law, where only 11.8% of respondents knew about the mandatory helmet use law for passengers. Unhelmeted riders had a significantly higher attribution of road related crashes to fate, compared with riders that used a helmet. Results of this study can serve as an evidence base for revisions of Nepal’s Vehicle and Transportation Management Act in regard to traffic rule enforcement and fines. They further show the global importance of comprehensive regulation on safety related behaviors of road users. The feasibility of more comprehensive enforcement is discussed against the background of helmet availability for passengers.     

Approaching intersections: Gaze behavior of drivers depending on traffic,intersection type,driving maneuver,and secondary task involvement

Urban intersections are hotspots for crashes because they provide a location for several traffic streams and types of road users to cross. A main cause of crashes is the misinformation of drivers as they fail to sense relevant visual information. We aimed to analyze the gaze behavior of car drivers in a variety of intersection scenarios, bringing together the partial findings of previous research, and examine the interdependencies of the contributing factors to provide a database for driver modeling. In a driving simulator study with 59 participants, we varied intersection scenarios regarding drivers’ right of way (yield sign, green traffic light), intersection type (T junction, X intersection), surrounding traffic (none, irrelevant, relevant), and intended driving maneuver (left turn, right turn, going straight). A total of 25 intersection scenarios were presented in a within-subjects design to a control group and a group with a cognitive load task (counting back in numbers of two). Fixations were coded regarding defined areas of interest in the field of view and separated according to three segments of the intersection approach: 75–50 m, 50–25 m, and 25–0 m before entering the intersection. The results show that the effect of surrounding traffic, secondary task engagement, and the intended driving maneuver changed dramatically depending on the right of way of the driver. Surrounding traffic primarily affected gaze behavior in scenarios of ceding the right of way close to the intersection entry. The cognitive load task increased fixations on the road center especially in situations where the driver had the right of way, but less in situations of ceding the right of way. Interactions with the type of intersection were only apparent for different driving maneuvers. This study provides a detailed and comprehensive picture of drivers’ attentional processes when approaching intersections which is relevant for understanding and modeling of driver behavior in urban traffic.     

Key challenges in tram/streetcar driving from the tram driver’s perspective – A qualitative study

Tram drivers have a difficult task in controlling one of the heaviest vehicles on the road whilst negotiating a complex road environment with multiple road users. Like all public transport drivers, tram drivers need to ensure passenger safety and to run on time. However, very little research has been conducted evaluating tram driving tasks and even less on evaluating tram drivers opinion on how other road users are affecting tram road safety. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the key tram driving challenges, to identify the key road user factors affecting tram road safety as well as to explore the potential safety improvement initiatives on tram routes from the tram drivers’ viewpoint. The study incorporated five focus groups involving thirty tram drivers in Melbourne. The key themes emerged inductively from focus groups were identified through a data coding process. Outcomes of the focus groups revealed seven major challenges in tram driving: ensuring safety for all people in and around the tram, pressure for running on-time, maintaining constant concentration on roads, predicting other road users’ behavior in advance to avoid any crash incident, preventing passenger falls on board, accepting the operational constraints of trams and managing fatigue workloads. Tram drivers identified that other road users are unaware of safety issues around trams, have a poor understanding of road rules about driving with trams and often violate road rules around trams, and they mentioned this road user behaviors as the key challenges for safe tram driving. Tram drivers proposed rendering greater law enforcement on the tram network to penalize road users who are violating road rules around trams, introducing more safety campaigns and safety education to increase awareness among road users to improve tram road safety. Findings of this research enhance understanding of tram driving challenges, provide an in-depth knowledge of road user factors affecting tram road safety and suggest effective planning strategies for transit agencies to improve road safety.     

How does emotional intelligence predict driving behaviors among non-commercial drivers?

Dangerous driving behaviors have been found to be a leading contributor to vehicle crashes and fatalities, with more than 2.7 million people injured and 36,560 people killed in the United States in 2018 (NHTSA, 2020). Drivers’ emotions have been found to be among the leading contributors to dangerous driving behaviors. Emotions can be measured and understood through one’s emotional intelligence (EI). Previous research has confirmed the relationship between EI and dangerous driving behaviors among general driving populations in limited scope. This study analyzed dangerous driving behaviors (e.g., aggressive driving) among non-commercial US drivers. 615 US drivers ages 18 to 65 (M = 31.14, SD = 11.15) with valid US driver’s licenses (non-commercial) participated in this study. Participants completed an online survey through Qualtrics that included the Trait Emotional Intelligence Questionnaire (TEIQue-SF) to measure different dimensions of EI and the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI) and the Driving Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) to measure dangerous driving behaviors. Furthermore, participants reported their demographic information, including age, sex, and location. Correlation analysis revealed that significant associations exist between dangerous driving behaviors and EI. The emotionality component of EI was found to be the strongest predictor of dangerous driving behaviors. The findings concluded that participants with higher EI scores engaged in less dangerous driving behavior, resulting in fewer crashes and fatalities. Thus, promoting and improving EI may be useful in preventing risky driving among non-commercial drivers. Incorporating emotional intelligence education in driver’s education, workplace training, and licensing procedures can be helpful to develop safer drivers. Further research is needed to investigate commercial drivers’ behaviors in relation to EI.     

Driver behaviour and traffic accident involvement among professional urban bus drivers in China

The present research aimed to investigate specific behaviors of professional urban bus drivers in China with the revised Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ), and to define the relationships among various driving behaviors (errors, positives, inattention errors, violations), background information (age, years of driving experience, mobility, etc.), self-assessment, and traffic accident. To achieve such goals, the present research designed a four-dimensional DBQ with 20 items for professional urban bus drivers in China. The KMO coefficient of the whole scale was 0.835, and Bartlett’s test was statistically significant (p < 0.000), which demonstrated strong validity of the scale and should be suitable for factor analysis. The four loading factors accounted for 58.991%. In addition, the reliability and effectiveness of the present 20-item scales were measured. The coefficient of internal consistency-Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.881 and the Cronbach’s Alpha Based on Standardized Items was 0.911. This showed that driving behavior scale of professional bus drivers in China was of high reliability and validity. The analysis showed that among the four factors, positive driving behaviors were significantly associated with errors, inattention errors and violations, respectively. Errors, inattention errors and violations correlated positively with each other. This verified that the correlation coefficient of each factor was medium and high, which indicated that the scale had good difference validity. The test content of the total scale was also highly consistent with the test content of each factor, which indicated that the revised scale had good standard related validity. According to the accident prediction model, the variables that significantly affected the occurrence of traffic accidents were daily driving time, positive driving behavior, SE2 (Driving safety), SE3 (Aberrant driver behaviors). The results showed that professional bus drivers often working overtime were most likely to have accidents. The probability of traffic accidents decreased by 53% for every unit of positive driving behavior frequency of professional bus drivers. The more they felt that they had the tendency of aberrant driving behavior, the more likely they were to have traffic accidents. To summary, the present research contributed to validating and improving the DBQ for professional urban drivers in China.     

Multimodal traffic safety concerns in a university population

Travelers have different concerns about traffic safety, which may affect their transportation choices and risk-taking behaviors as well as the overall safety performance of multimodal transportation systems. The objective of this study was to examine factors associated with stated concerns surrounding traffic safety among travelers using multiple transport modes. The analysis used data from an online questionnaire survey completed by over 2,000 students and employees at Utah State University in Logan, Utah, US. Four latent variables—concerns about pedestrians and cyclists, auto drivers, modal interactions, and roadway conditions—were confirmed using factor analysis from 16 questions about traffic safety concerns. These four types of safety concerns were then analyzed to understand their associations with mode choice, commuting behavior, and socio-demographics using a structural equation model. Results showed that safety concern varied systematically among different mode users and demographic groups. Auto drivers perceived interactions with pedestrians and cyclists as concerning, while non-auto users felt more concerned by automobile traffic. Commuters who were recently involved in a crash were especially concerned with non-motorized modes. Women, lower-income, and non-white road users were more concerned with traffic safety overall. Findings about multimodal traffic safety concerns provide insights into people’s perceptions, which can be useful in developing designs, plans, and policies for making a safer transportation system for all road users.     

Predictors of perceived road collision/incident risk among horse users: A survey study from Norway

Although horse users in traffic are a vulnerable road user group, traffic safety problems among them are scantly examined by previous research. The main aim of the present study was to examine the role of some demographic variables, traffic safety attitudes, and level of knowledge about rules and regulations applying to horse use in traffic for predicting perceived road collision/incident risk in a sample of horse users in Norway. An online survey was conducted to collect data from a total of 1733 horse users including horse riders and drivers of horse-drawn sulky, wagon or sled. The respondents accessed the survey via a link put to the website of the Norwegian Horse Centre, which is in contact with many different horse user environments in Norway. The majority of the respondents were female and between the ages of 18–30. A multiple regression analysis was conducted to examine the predictors of the perceived collision/incident risk involving other motor vehicles. Results showed that traffic safety attitudes among horse users were the strongest predictor of the perceived collision/incident risk. In particular, horse users reported a negative attitude towards the other road users (e.g. drivers) indicating that they perceive the other road users’ actions and approaches as the biggest source of risk in road traffic. The level of knowledge about the rules and regulations applying to horse use, especially in walking and cycling lane, was relatively low among the respondents. However, knowledge about rules and regulations did not appear as a strong predictor of the perceived collision/incident risk. Results indicate the need to increase road users, especially drivers’, awareness about the problems and needs of horse users in traffic.     

Unsafety on two wheels,or social prejudice? Proxying behavioral reports on bicycle and e-scooter riding safety – A mixed-methods study

The use of non-motorized transportation and micro-mobility is increasing in many cities. Bicycle riding and e-scooter use are now more common and affordable than ever. However, users of these devices face certain key issues. These include their own risky behaviors as well as involvement in conflicts with other road users. Self-report data may not adequately capture these behaviors and interactions. Despite this, more objective data (i.e., how third parties perceive these users’ road behaviors) is scarce. Aims: This study aimed to understand whether e-scooter riders have comparable or different riding behaviors than cyclists. This was investigated using a mixed-method study. Methods: This paper is divided into two sub-studies. In Study 1, 950 Spanish non-cyclists and non-e-scooter riders (mean age 31.98 ± 13.27 years; 55.3% female) provided external ratings (proxies) regarding the perceived behaviors of bicycle and e-scooter riders. In Study 2, collective Rapid Assessment Processes (RAPs; n = 23) were used to develop qualitative configurations of some of the key risky behaviors highlighted in Study 1. Results: There were significant differences in the perceived errors and violations rated by proxies for both types of riders (with e-scooter riders perceived as having higher rates of risky behaviors). However, there were also structural differences in the effects of external raters’ risk perceptions, traffic rule knowledge, and traffic incidents with two-wheeled riders on how they rated the behaviors. Conclusion: The results of both studies suggest that external raters’ perceptions provide further understanding of the causes, dynamics, and conflicts related to road behaviors performed by certain groups of road users. This is particularly apparent when there is no clear legislation and information on safe riding in urban areas. In this sense, improving infrastructure could promote safer interactions. Finally, road safety education could focus on promoting safer practices and interactions in order to improve how others perceive riders’ behavior.     

The role of values in road safety culture: Examining the valuation of freedom to take risk,risk taking and accident involvement in three countries

National focus on individual freedom versus paternalistic values is a fundamental theme, which defines the status of traffic safety in different countries. The present study examines the role of such values in road safety culture based on survey data from car and bus drivers from three countries with distinctly different road safety records: Norway (N = 596), Israel (N = 129) and Greece (N = 386). While Norway has the highest road safety level in Europe, and Israel also performs better than the EU average, the road safety level in Greece was far below the EU average. As these positions reflect differences in policies and national regulations in drivers’ freedom to take risk, we hypothesize a higher focus on individual freedom to take risk and lower focus on paternalism among the Greek drivers. Results indicate, in accordance with our hypothesis, that the Greek drivers value freedom to take risk in traffic higher than drivers from Norway and Israel. Greek drivers also expect higher levels of risk taking from other drivers in their country, they report higher levels of risky driving themselves, and are more often involved in accidents. Thus, it seems that values have an important role in Road Safety Culture (RSC), legitimizing and motivating risky driving, which are related to accidents. We found, however, contrary to our hypotheses, that the Greek drivers also had the most paternalistic attitudes among the drivers in the three countries. In the present paper, we try to solve this Greek paradox.     

Sensitivity to reward and risky driving,risky decision making,and risky health behaviour: A literature review

Young driver road safety has persisted as a global problem for decades, despite copious and diverse intervention. Recently the influence in reward sensitivity, which refers to the individual’s personal sensitivity to rewards, has received attention in health-related research, including more generally through decision making in risky circumstances, and in risky driving behaviour specifically. As such, a literature review and synthesis of the literature regarding reward sensitivity in relation to risky driving, risky decision making, and risky health behaviour, with a focus on literature in which adolescents and young adults feature, is timely. Thirty-one papers were identified, and the literature revealed that young drivers with greater reward sensitivity engage in more risky driving behaviours including speeding, crashes and traffic violations; and that individuals with greater reward sensitivity engage in more risky decision making and other risky health-related behaviours (such as drinking and drug use). Adolescents and young adults exhibit heightened sensitivity to rewards in the presence of peers, which has considerable implications for young driver road safety as research consistently demonstrates that carrying peer passengers places all vehicle occupants at greater risk of being involved in a road crash. Consideration of the influence of reward sensitivity in young driver road safety, and other adolescent/young adult health-related safety, appears to be a promising avenue of intervention, with gain-framed messages more likely to be accepted by young drivers with greater reward sensitivity. Future research in jurisdictions other than Australia and Europe will increase our understanding of the influence of reward sensitivity, and exploration of the differential impacts of reward-responsiveness and fun-seeking specifically are warranted.     

Examining U.S. drivers’ characteristics in relation to how frequently they engage in speeding on freeways

Speeding and speed-related crashes have consistently represented over 25% of all traffic fatalities over the past two decades. The severity of these speed-related incidents not only impact the drivers but all road users. Thus, characterizing drivers who speed, understanding their motivations, and identifying the types of risky driving behaviors associated with speeding play a critical role in developing, implementing, and sustaining effective countermeasures. Using a survey administered to a U.S. nationally representative sample (N = 2,930 licensed drivers aged 16 or older), this study develops a partial proportional odds model to examine differences in characteristics between types of speeders – frequent, occasional, and non-speeders – and explores characteristics and risk driving behaviors that are most associated with speeding behavior. Additionally, motivations for speeding are examined for drivers who frequently speed compared with those who occasionally speed. Results show speeders tended to engage in other unsafe driving behaviors, such as distracted, aggressive, unbelted, and alcohol-impaired driving. Among demographic and socio-economic variables examined in this study, drivers’ age was the greatest associated determinant. The association with engagement in red-light running, however, outweighed that with drivers’ age. Interestingly, the interaction between educational attainment and engagement in aggressive driving was also predictive of speeding behavior. For motivations for speeding, frequent speeders were more likely to report enjoying driving fast and disagreeing with speed limits compared with occasional speeders. The findings of this study are useful towards identifying the various characteristics and behaviors of drivers who engage in speeding, which can provide future insights into where effective countermeasures and prevention efforts should be focused.     

Contributory factors to sleepiness amongst London bus drivers

Driver sleepiness contributes to a substantial proportion of all road crashes. Despite all that is known about driver sleepiness, bus drivers are often overlooked. What is certain is that bus drivers have the potential to suffer from sleepiness as they are shift workers. The current research used a large online survey to investigate sleepiness amongst London bus drivers. There were two aims; to quantify the prevalence of sleepiness amongst London bus drivers, and to determine the factors which contributed to sleepiness. Overall, 20.8% of respondents indicated that they had to fight sleepiness at least 2–3 times a week, and 36.6% of respondents stated that they had experienced a close call due to sleepiness in the past year. There were several potential causes of sleepiness including work, sleep, and personal factors such as obtaining less than 11 h rest between shifts, working 6 or more days without a rest day, and poor self-reported health. These findings show that sleepiness is common amongst London bus drivers and is caused by a combination of factors. The combination of contributory factors suggests that a multifaceted approach should be taken to reduce bus driver sleepiness.