Citation

Nasrollahtabar Ahangar A, Arghand E, Babagoli Ahangar H, Seyedalizadeh Ganji SR. Safety Sci. 2020; 125: e104649.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2020, Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.ssci.2020.104649

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Recognizing the factors affecting road accidents, especially in developing countries, is an important step in increasing the level of road safety and decreasing losses. Studies on the factors affecting road accidents in Iran mostly concentrated on the views of road engineers and the police, while the views of drivers, one of the main users of roads, received less attention. Understanding drivers' mental patterns could be very effective in recognizing the reasons for accidents. In this paper, the Q factor analysis was used to determine drivers' mental patterns. Q methodology is a technique that enables the investigator to recognize and classify perceptions and beliefs as well as categorize groups of people on the basis of their perceptions. The main objective of this technique is to clarify different thought patterns, not to count the numbers of people with different thoughts. Samples of rural drivers were chosen as the target community, and based on the Q-method, their propositions were prioritized. Finally, on the basis of Q-factor analysis, the mental patterns of drivers related to the factors affecting accidents were determined, and useful information was acquired in this regard. Drivers' perceptions of the factors affecting accidents differ from the results gained on the basis of safety inspections. Recognizing these patterns helps to correct the ideas of engineers and can also be used to correct the incorrect mental patterns among drivers regarding the reasons for accidents through training.

Language: en

Keywords

Accidents; Drivers; Q methodology; Rural roads