AN EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF FACTORS LEADING TO PREVALENCE OF DISTRACTED DRIVING BEHAVIOR IN PAKISTAN

Abstract

Distracted driving behavior is a major contributing factor to road accidents. To understand its impact in Pakistan, a case study was conducted to examine how different road types and conditions, trip time, law enforcement, and passenger type influence distracted driving, and this these five were main latent constructs in the analysis. This research also looked into the mediating effect of driving experience. Around 590 responses were gathered through online and face-to-face surveys, and 501 of them were considered for further analysis. The most of the respondents were males aged between 18-30 (40%) and 30-50 (27%). After conducting preliminary data testing, including data normality checks and descriptive analysis, the study employed Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS SEM) to test the hypotheses. The results revealed that all the factors had varying degrees of positive influence on distracted driving behavior. Trip timing had the most significant effect (0.196), indicating that drivers were more distracted during the daytime, possibly due to the ease of driving, allowing them to engage in non-driving activities. Road conditions (0.194), age (0.168), and law enforcement (0.161) also had significant effects on distracted driving behavior. Surprisingly, the presence of passengers did not significantly impact distracted driving in this study, contrary to some prior research findings. Older drivers exhibited more distracted behavior. Gender and education had no direct impact, but they showed significant indirect effects through driving experience, suggesting mediation. These results underscore the importance of implementing appropriate interventions involving various stakeholders (such as policymakers, police, mental health experts, advocates, etc.) to raise awareness, change behaviors, and increase risk perception related to distracted driving behavior and its dangers. Such interventions can play a crucial role in curbing distracted driving incidents and improving road safety.