Examining the Effect of Safety Attitudes, Safety Culture, and Safety Behavior on Driving Performance Using Structural Equation Modeling

Abstract

AbstractTraffic accidents are one of the major factors that lead to fatalities in the Middle East, particularly in Saudi Arabia. The behavior of drivers and their safety-related attitudes and culture are major factors that lead to traffic accidents. This study aimed to examine the effects of drivers’ safety behaviors, safety attitudes, and safety culture on driving performance among Saudis. A structural equation model was used to analyze the data. A self-completion questionnaire was used to assess these factors and was carried out from October 2019 to February 2020. In total, 1036 participants (58% male and 42% female) older than 18 participated in this study. The results showed that the effects of safety behaviors, safety attitudes, and safety culture on driving performance were significant (P < 0.05). Drivers’ safety attitudes did not directly influence driving performance (P = 0.23), whereas they indirectly influenced safety behavior. Safety behavior and safety culture significantly affected safety performance (P < 0.01 and P = 0.021, respectively). The driver safety behaviors and attitudes of females were significantly different from those of males. Males received more traffic violations and penalties than females did. The findings suggest that improving driver safety attitudes and risk behaviors and cultivating a safety culture among Saudis is required to increase their risk perception, which can lead to decreased traffic violations and accidents.KeywordsSafety attitudesSafety behaviorSafety cultureDriving performanceStructure equation modeling