Citation

Koushki P, Ali S, Al-Saleh O. Transp. Res. Rec. 1999; 1694: 27-33.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

10.3141/1694-04

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Despite multidimensional efforts to improve road traffic safety in Kuwait, traffic violations and road accidents have increased steadily in recent years. Official statistics, although incomplete, indicate that the rates of road accident and accident fatalities in Kuwait are three to four times those in the United States. It is argued that the rapidly growing use of mobile phones by drivers has added a new dimension to the complexity of the driving task and further contributes to the deterioration of road safety, particularly in undisciplined driving environments like Kuwait's. A random sample of 2,000 drivers was surveyed. Data on socioeconomic traits and on mobile phone availability, frequency of use, and contribution to road accidents were obtained. Seventy-three percent ofthe sample drivers owned a mobile phone, had owned it for nearly 2.5 years, and had made 1.4 calls during an average daily trip. An average individual in the sample had been involved in 0.4 road accidents since acquiring a mobile phone; 0.21 accidents occurred while he or she or the other driver(s) was using a mobile phone. It is strongly recommended that driver mobile-phone use be banned while the driver's vehicle is in motion.


Keywords: Driver distraction;

Language: en