Evaluating Rainy Weather Effects on Driving Behaviour Dimensions of Driving Behaviour Questionnaire

Abstract

This study aims to develop a modified version of the existing driving behaviour questionnaire (DBQ) by including items related to driving behaviour under rainy conditions to evaluate driving behaviour changes and their implications. A survey of 680 drivers in Iran was conducted with the modified DBQ considering rainy conditions. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis concluded a four-factor solution (high velocity with a law violation, slips, positive and cautious behaviours, and aggressive driving behaviours) with a 52% explanation of variance. One of the most affected driving behaviours during rainfall is the tendency of high velocity with law violation behaviours. Compared to male drivers, female drivers showed lower high-velocity behaviours with law violation when driving in dry weather and in rainy weather. Married drivers have not only less tendency to drive fast or violate the law compared to single drivers but are also less susceptible to these actions during rain. It was observed that young drivers under 25 did not change their aggressive driving behaviours in rainy conditions. The results from this study are valuable resources to help transportation agencies to understand drivers’ likely behaviour in rainy conditions and develop appropriate countermeasures to minimize the risky behaviours. Also, since aggressive driving, high acceleration, and speed variance have been reported to result in high fuel consumption and emissions, the findings from this study are valuable resources to understand the relationship between weather, driver behaviour, and emissions in future studies.

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