Attitudinal Determinants of Aberrant Driving Behaviors in Pakistan

Batool, Zahara; Carsten, Oliver · 2016 · Crossref

DOI: 10.3141/2602-07

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Summary

This study investigates the attitudinal determinants of aberrant driving behaviors in Pakistan, addressing a critical gap in empirical road safety research within the country. With driver error accounting for an estimated 91% of traffic crashes in Pakistan, the authors sought to identify key socio-cognitive factors influencing intentional traffic violations. Guided by the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the research aimed to classify drivers based on their attitudes toward road safety and enforcement, rather than relying solely on demographic characteristics, to inform more effective traffic safety interventions. The methodology involved a quantitative survey conducted in Lahore, Pakistan, utilizing a 58-item Attitudinal Questionnaire (AQ) and a 29-item modified Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ). The AQ measured attitudes toward rule compliance, enforcement, peer pressure, and safety, while the DBQ assessed the frequency of specific violations such as speeding and driving under the influence. Data were collected from 438 participants recruited via on-street intercepts across diverse socioeconomic areas. The analysis employed principal component analysis to reduce attitudinal items into six underlying constructs, followed by a two-stage cluster analysis (hierarchical and k-means) to segment drivers into distinct groups. Multiple discriminant analysis and ANOVA were used to validate clusters and examine behavioral and sociodemographic differences. The results identified four distinct driver segments: "Autonomous" (12.7%), "Opportunists" (6.5%), "Regulators" (51.6%), and "Risk Averse" (29.1%). The "Regulators" group, the largest segment, exhibited the most favorable attitudes toward road safety and strongly supported stringent enforcement, though they paradoxically showed low personal compliance with rules. "Opportunists" displayed the least favorable attitudes, favoring law-breaking and showing disregard for enforcement. "Autonomous" drivers valued rule compliance and careful driving but rejected external enforcement and peer influence. "Risk Averse" drivers favored rule compliance but condoned certain careless behaviors and were susceptible to peer pressure. Behaviorally, "Regulators" reported the lowest frequency of aberrant behaviors, while "Opportunists" reported the highest. Sociodemographic analysis revealed that being affluent, female, or a student was associated with more negative driving behaviors and attitudes. The study concludes that attitudes toward enforcement and rule compliance are the strongest determinants of driving behavior in Pakistan. The findings validate the applicability of the TPB framework in this context and highlight that driver behavior is multifaceted, influenced by a combination of attitudes and sociodemographic factors. By identifying specific attitudinal profiles, the research suggests that traffic safety interventions should be tailored to these distinct groups, particularly targeting the "Opportunists" and addressing the complex relationship between support for enforcement and actual compliance among "Regulators."

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• cultural cross national
• sex gender
• human error taxonomy

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• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence
• Theoretical Contribution: theory or model