Analysis of drink-driving behavior: Considering the subjective and objective factors of drivers

Abstract

Objective Drink-driving is one of the key behavioral risk factors in road traffic safety. The main purposes of this study are the identification of the influence of drivers’ subjective and objective factors on drink-driving behavior and the correlation between subjective and objective factors to design targeted measures for the prevention and control of drink-driving behavior. Methods To analysis the influence of the subjective and objective factors on the behavior of alcohol value simultaneously. A Bayesian structural equation model is conducted with the data collected via questionnaire issued on the Internet in China. Results The results using the Bayesian structural equation model reveals that the subjective factors (e.g., drivers’ behavior intention and perceived behavioral control) and objective factors (e.g., age, gender, and driving years of drivers) significantly affect drink-driving behaviors. Drivers’ behavior intention is the strongest predictor, and perceived behavioral control also has a significant influence on drink-driving. Drivers who are male, older, lower driving years, driving a motorcycle or car and noncommercial vehicle have a higher probability in drink-driving. The results also suggest that there is a certain correlation between the driver's subjective and objective factors. For instance, male drivers have a more positive attitude toward drink-driving behaviors, drivers over thirty years old more cling to the region's alcohol culture and feel less guilty about drink-driving than youngsters, and truck or bus drivers perceived more disapproval of drink-driving behavior from their significant others. Conclusions A more nuanced understanding of the influence of drivers to drink-driving behavior can be found in these results. These results about the influence mechanism of subjective and objective factors on drink-driving behavior of this study have implications for governments and other interested bodies for better targeting and delivery of public education campaigns and interventions.