Understanding key behavioral factors affecting road traffic citation and crash involvement of professional bus and passenger van drivers using a modified driver behavior questionnaire: an Indian perspective

Abstract

A customized 27-item driver behavior questionnaire (DBQ) for professional long-distance bus and passenger van drivers in Bihar, India was tested separately and the underlying factor structures identified. In total, 156 bus and 149 passenger van drivers were surveyed and their self-reported aberrations, measured using the DBQ, were recorded along with their self-reported traffic citation and crash involvement in the past 3 years. A 21-item seven-factor DBQ and a 19-item five-factor DBQ were obtained for bus and passenger van drivers respectively through exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. Structural equation modeling was used to find relations between DBQ factors and drivers’ number of crashes and traffic citations involvements. Only speed issues could significantly explain traffic citation involvement but no factor could significantly explain crash involvement for bus drivers. For passenger van drivers, only aggressive violations could explain traffic citation involvement while unmindfulness, aggressive violations and errors could explain crash involvement.