A survey of distracted driving and electronic device use among app-based and taxi drivers

The purpose of this study was to identify, characterize and compare attitudes, beliefs, behaviors and other factors related to electronic device (ED) use and distracted driving (DD) among taxi and app-based drivers. A survey among drivers in San Diego and across the United States was used to collect self-reported attitudes and behaviors among taxi and app-based passenger-carrying drivers from October 1, 2016 to January 31, 2017. Chi-square or Fisher’s exact test was used to assess the difference between sociodemographics, ED use, ED use attitudes, and citation and crash history by driver type. Prevalence ratios were assessed for differences in ED use and ED use attitudes by driver type using Poisson regression models with robust error variance and a log link function. The final models adjusted for age, sex, level of experience, education and English fluency. All analyses were performed using SAS version 9.4. Of the 175 drivers that met eligibility criteria, 131 reported driving for app-based services and 44 identified as taxi drivers. Compared to taxi drivers, app-based drivers were more likely to be female, native English speaking, and have fewer than 3 years of experience in the transportation business. All drivers reported at least one type of DD while the car was in motion. App-based drivers were significantly more likely to use a smartphone while driving (adjusted prevalence ratio (APR): 1.42), report that while driving it is safe or very safe to accept a call (APR: 1.73), receive/respond to a passenger request (APR: 3.40), or process a payment (APR: 5.39). Taxi drivers were more likely to either receive a citation for ED use (31.8% v 7.6%, p p Drivers in the small passenger-carrying transportation industry engage in DD frequently due to occupational demands. Given the known increased crash risk with DD, effective policies and interventions for app-based and taxi drivers are needed.

本研究旨在识别、表征并比较出租车与网约客运司机群体中，与电子设备（Electronic Device, ED）使用及分心驾驶（Distracted Driving, DD）相关的态度、信念、行为及其他影响因素。本研究于2016年10月1日至2017年1月31日期间，针对美国圣地亚哥市及全美范围内的司机开展问卷调查，收集出租车与网约客运司机的自我报告式态度与行为数据。采用卡方检验或Fisher精确检验，按司机类型分析社会人口学特征、电子设备使用情况、电子设备使用态度、违章记录与事故历史的组间差异；采用带有稳健误差方差和对数链接函数的泊松回归模型，评估不同司机类型在电子设备使用及使用态度上的差异并计算患病率比。最终模型纳入年龄、性别、从业年限、受教育程度及英语流利程度作为调整变量。所有分析均使用SAS 9.4版本软件完成。本研究共纳入符合入组标准的司机175名，其中131名为网约客运服务司机，44名为出租车司机。与出租车司机相比，网约客运司机更大概率为女性、以英语为母语，且从事客运行业的从业年限不足3年。所有受访司机均报告在车辆行驶过程中存在至少一种分心驾驶行为。进一步分析显示，网约客运司机在驾驶时使用智能手机的比例显著更高（调整后患病率比（Adjusted Prevalence Ratio, APR）：1.42），且更倾向于认为驾驶时接听电话是安全或非常安全的（APR：1.73）、接收/回复乘客订单请求（APR：3.40）或处理支付事宜（APR：5.39）。出租车司机因电子设备使用违章的比例更高（31.8% vs 7.6%，p p）。小型客运交通行业的司机因职业需求，频繁出现分心驾驶行为。鉴于已知分心驾驶会显著提升事故风险，因此亟需针对网约客运司机与出租车司机制定有效的政策与干预措施。