Journal of Safety Research最新文献

{"title":"Investigating the factors behind cellphone-distracted crashes: Assessing injury severity among distracted drivers in states with and without cell phone bans","authors":"Mouyid Islam ,&nbsp;Niloufar Shirani","doi":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.004","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.004","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Introduction:</em> Distracted driving, particularly due to cellphone usage, poses a serious threat to road safety by diverting drivers’ attention from the road to activities like calling, talking, and texting. This not only jeopardizes the safety of the drivers themselves but also puts other road users at risk. To address this issue, many states have enacted laws prohibiting cellphone use while driving. This study investigates the impact of such laws on the severity of driver injuries, focusing on a comparison between Connecticut and Florida. <em>Method:</em> The study examines four years of crash data, during which Connecticut banned handheld phone use while driving, while Florida allowed hands-free use and treated handheld phone use as a secondary offense. Using random parameter logit models with heterogeneity in means and variances, the analysis identified differences in risk factors contributing to driver injury severity in both states with and without a cellphone ban. <em>Results:</em> Despite variations in data collection methods and variables across states, the study aligns and compares commonly defined and measured variables from crash incidents. The analysis identified 26 statistically significant variables in both models, with only four variables consistently affecting all levels of driver injury severity. These common risk factors include the involvement of newer vehicles (less than five years old from the crash involvement), incidents involving shoulders, young drivers (under 30 years old), and seat belt usage. <em>Conclusions/Practical Applications:</em> The findings emphasize the importance of modern safety features in newer vehicles, improved roadside design, driver training, and law enforcement measures targeting younger drivers to promote seat belt usage and mitigate distracted driving risks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48224,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Safety Research","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 192-206"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-12-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142758920","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An evaluation of driver comprehension of the Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon","authors":"Angelina Caggiano ,&nbsp;Jaji Pamarthi ,&nbsp;Tracy M. Zafian ,&nbsp;Michelle Y. Deng ,&nbsp;Kirsten Johnson ,&nbsp;Francis Tainter ,&nbsp;Michael Knodler","doi":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.001","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.001","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Introduction:</em> The Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon (PHB) has become increasingly common since it was first implemented in 2015 at midblock pedestrian crossings in Massachusetts. The tri-signal head design includes signal sections displaying two red indications above a single yellow indication. PHBs are used as a method of increasing the safety of vulnerable road users by stopping vehicles at high-traffic and high-speed midblock crosswalks. This study was developed to evaluate both driver behavior and comprehension related to the use of PHBs in Massachusetts. <em>Methods:</em> The study utilized one online survey to create a PHB inventory, and a second online survey to measure driver comprehension of PHBs. The first survey was motivated to gauge potential exposure to PHBs and supplied an estimated 40 PHB installations with a primary concentration in Eastern Massachusetts. These efforts were paired with the second survey that was disseminated to drivers in Massachusetts and elsewhere to investigate the typical driver’s understanding of PHB intervals: Dark, Flashing Yellow (FY), Solid Yellow (SY), Solid Red (SR), and Flashing Red (FR). <em>Results:</em> The comprehension survey’s results provide evidence to suggest that driver behaviors are inconsistent with the recommended actions in PHB user guides. Specifically, the FY and FR intervals cause the greatest amount of confusion for drivers. <em>Conclusions:</em> This study also examines the reasons why drivers may be confused and offers recommendations for PHB education and outreach practices. <em>Practical Applications:</em> PHBs can increase pedestrian conspicuity on midblock crossings. Correct use of PHBs by drivers and pedestrians is crucial for facilitating safe crossings and traffic flow. However, many research efforts have not studied drivers’ understanding of PHB intervals. Communities with PHBs present should consider education and outreach prior to and during PHB implementation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48224,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Safety Research","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 181-191"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142745227","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A systematic review of incentive schemes and their implications for truck driver safety performance","authors":"Laura Meyer ,&nbsp;Leila Louise Goedhals-Gerber ,&nbsp;Anneke De Bod","doi":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.023","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.023","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Introduction:</em> This systematic review investigates the effects of monetary and non-monetary incentive schemes on the safety performance of truck drivers, a critical concern within the road freight industry. <em>Method:</em> The review analyzes 18 studies and dissects the impact of compensation levels, compensation methods, and non-monetary benefits on drivers’ safety behaviors. <em>Results:</em> The findings show that, in general, higher levels of compensation, both through selection and incentive effects, enhance safety performance by attracting more skilled drivers and incentivizing adherence to safety protocols. However, the structure of these compensations, particularly piece-rate wages, and payment for non-driving hours, reveals a double-edged sword; while incentivizing productivity, they inadvertently promote unsafe driving behaviors such as excessive speeding and insufficient rest due to economic pressures. Conversely, non-monetary incentives, though under-researched, show potential for improving safety outcomes by enhancing job satisfaction and work environment quality. <em>Practical applications:</em> This review highlights the need for future research on safety incentives to evaluate the full extent of the intersection between incentives, safety culture, and working conditions. It advocates for holistic compensation strategies that foster a safety culture in the trucking industry, marking a new direction for improving driver behavior.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48224,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Safety Research","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 166-180"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-28","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142745225","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Trends in parcel delivery driver injury: Evidence from NEISS-Work","authors":"Evan Iacobucci ,&nbsp;Suzanne Marsh ,&nbsp;Rebecca Naumann ,&nbsp;Noreen McDonald","doi":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.015","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.015","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Introduction:</em> The rise of e-commerce has rapidly increased the proportion of goods delivered directly to customers’ homes. These increases have placed notable demands on delivery personnel, with potential health and safety consequences. In this paper, we examined trends in parcel delivery driver injury through analyses of injuries treated in emergency departments (ED) in the United States from 2015 through 2022. <em>Methodology:</em> We explored trends among Couriers and Messengers as well as Postal Service personnel as designated by Bureau of Census (BOC) industry codes. We estimated counts and rates of injuries per 10,000 full time worker equivalents and examined demographics (e.g., age, sex) and other characteristics (e.g., source of injury, injury diagnosis) associated with these injuries. <em>Results:</em> We found that: (1) ED-treated injury rates between 2015 and 2022, among both the Postal Service and Couriers and Messengers, have demonstrated an upward trajectory, contrasting with overall U.S. industry injury rates, which have trended downward; and (2) while ED-treated injury rates for these industries have taken different paths over time, both industries’ ED-treated injury rates have converged toward a position much higher than average. Moreover, we found that female personnel and young personnel disproportionately experienced ED injuries. <em>Conclusions:</em> In addition to calling attention to worrying injury trends among delivery drivers, we conclude that the current data landscape prevents the development of a nuanced picture of injury trends and hazards. These limits inhibit exploration of many specific hazards, and therefore preventive measures that would be designed based on such specific exploration. <em>Practical Applications:</em> Our results serve both as a foundation toward improved safety practices in an industry that continues to experience rapid changes and as a step toward motivating updated data collection and dissemination practices that could help understanding of the modern workplace injury landscape.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48224,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Safety Research","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 148-157"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142697872","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed U.S. workers within the Construction sector, 2010–2019","authors":"Elizabeth A. Masterson,&nbsp;Christa L. Themann","doi":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.005","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.005","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Background:</em> The purpose of this cross-sectional study is to estimate the prevalence of hearing loss among noise-exposed U.S. workers during 2010–2019 within the Construction sector. <em>Methods:</em> Audiograms for 26,653 workers at 833 Construction companies (and for 1.3 million other workers) were examined. Period prevalence and adjusted risk for hearing loss as compared with a reference industry (Couriers and Messengers) were estimated for the Construction sector and sub-sectors, and all industries combined. <em>Results:</em> The prevalence of hearing loss within the Construction sector was 23% compared to 20% for all industries combined. Several sub-sectors exceeded the overall prevalence and all but two had adjusted risks significantly higher than the reference industry. The sub-sectors with the highest prevalences for hearing loss were: Highway, Street, and Bridge Construction (28%), Site Preparation Contractors (26%), New Single-Family Housing Construction (except Operative Builders) (25%), Oil and Gas Pipeline and Related Structures Construction (25%), and Other Building Finishing Contractors (25%). The sub-sectors with the highest adjusted risks were Industrial Building Construction; Other Heavy and Civil Engineering Construction; Oil and Gas Pipeline and Related Structures Construction; Finish Carpentry Contractors; and Site Preparation Contractors; with risks 62%, 61%, 60%, 59% and 58% higher than the reference industry, respectively. <em>Conclusions:</em> Hearing loss continues to be a significant issue within Construction. Reducing noise exposure is critical, including buying quieter equipment, keeping moving parts oiled and well-maintained, enclosing noise sources, and employing administrative controls to reduce the number of workers in noisy areas. Barriers to workers consistently and correctly wearing their hearing protection also need to be addressed. <em>Practical Applications:</em> Within Construction, hazardous noise is common and the risk of hearing loss is high. This study identified the Construction sub-sectors with the highest prevalences and risks to guide interventions toward workers most in need of prevention and described strategies for reducing exposures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48224,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Safety Research","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 158-165"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142697873","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Safety climate and fatigue have differential impacts on safety issues","authors":"Adam T. Biggs ,&nbsp;Jason Jameson ,&nbsp;Todd R. Seech ,&nbsp;Rachel Markwald ,&nbsp;Christopher Paight ,&nbsp;Dale W. Russell","doi":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.017","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.017","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Introduction:</em> Safety climate describes a collection of perceptions and practices that encapsulate the general attitude toward safety within an organization. A better safety climate presumably leads to a safer and more effective workplace. However, there are many contributing factors to safety outcomes, and these variables may interact with the safety climate to affect actual safety behaviors. <em>Method:</em> This study examined fatigue as a possible moderator between safety climate and safety outcomes, including actual safety incidents reported, near-misses experienced, and safety underreporting. Structural equation modeling explored this question using a large dataset (N &gt; 11,000) gathered from naval personnel who operate in a challenging work environment and must regularly contend with the consequences of fatigue. <em>Results:</em> Results indicated a differential effect on the relationship between safety climate and safety outcomes; that is, safety climate affected underreporting the most, followed by likelihood of experiencing a near-miss, but had the weakest impact on actual safety reporting. Conversely, fatigue had a comparable impact across all safety outcomes, both directly as a moderating influence when accounting for safety climate. <em>Practical Applications:</em> These findings suggest that safety climate may differentially affect safety outcomes, but fatigue appears to have the same impact across different types of safety issues despite their severity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48224,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Safety Research","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 142-147"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142697871","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Great to use as a conversation starter: End user views on the acceptability and feasibility of a prototype decision aid for older drivers","authors":"Nadine Veerhuis ,&nbsp;Melanie Randle ,&nbsp;Victoria Traynor","doi":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.006","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.006","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Background:</em> Conversations about driving with older adults are often emotionally laden and decisions about retiring from driving can be challenging. Tailored tools, such as evidence-based decision aids could support conversations and decisions about driving for older adults. This study aimed to explore the acceptability and feasibility of a prototype decision aid for older drivers from the perspective of end-users. <em>Method:</em> This qualitative cross-sectional study utilized an online survey with 106 adults living in Australia. The 36-page web-based decision aid prototype was developed for older drivers living in New South Wales, Australia, using a co-design approach with multiple stakeholders. <em>Results:</em> Respondents were healthcare professionals, older adults, family members, or friends of older adults and other professional groups. Decision aid acceptability was high. The presentation of the aid was highly regarded by older adults and healthcare professionals. The length and comprehensiveness were salient characteristics and could impact utility for healthcare professionals and older adults. Personal stories, risks, and incentives for driving retirement were important content to include. Various benefits of the decision aid were highlighted: supporting conversations and decision making about driving decisions and planning for future mobility changes. <em>Conclusions:</em> The older driver decision aid was a supported approach by healthcare professionals and family members to guide conversations and decision-making about driving with older adults. The decision aid triggered older adults to reflect upon their current driving, think about ways to stay safe on the road, or plan for alternatives to driving in the future. <em>Practical applications:</em> The older driver decision aid could be a useful tool for Australian healthcare professionals and family members when approaching a conversation and decision-making about driving with older adults. Using the decision aid may prompt older adults to reflect upon various aspects of decisions about driving early in the decision pathway.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48224,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Safety Research","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 121-132"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142697869","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating perspectives towards online content that promotes road safety: A qualitative study across three age groups","authors":"Michelle Nicolls,&nbsp;Verity Truelove,&nbsp;Kayla B. Stefanidis","doi":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.018","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.018","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Introduction</em>: Social media is an ideal platform for displaying online material that promotes road safety and discourages road rule violations. However, limited research has investigated the impact of online material promoting road safety on attitudes and behavior, and whether different age groups are influenced by such content. <em>Method:</em> The qualitative study explored: (a) opinions and attitudes towards online material/content that promotes road safety/discourages illegal driving behavior; (b) whether participants believe this content can influence attitudes/behavior; and (c) whether these opinions differed across age groups. Sixty-six licensed Queensland drivers participated in a focus group. Three age groups were included: young drivers (17–25 years; <em>n</em> = 21), middle-aged drivers (26–49 years; <em>n</em> = 22), and older drivers (50 + years; <em>n</em> = 23). <em>Results:</em> The data were analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis, resulting in four themes: (1) Metrics behind a persuasive message, (2) Diverse and compelling content, (3) Demographics matter, (4) Each to their own. <em>Conclusions:</em> There is the potential for social media to help promote road safety messages. Therefore, these findings have important implications for road safety messaging strategies and future research. <em>Practical Applications:</em> Future research could benefit by exploring ways to increase exposure to online material promoting road safety and determining which social media platforms are more likely to promote road safety material, with consideration to online algorithms.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48224,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Safety Research","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 133-141"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142697870","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Spatial analysis of telematics-based surrogate safety measures","authors":"Dimitrios Nikolaou ,&nbsp;Apostolos Ziakopoulos ,&nbsp;Armira Kontaxi ,&nbsp;Athanasios Theofilatos ,&nbsp;George Yannis","doi":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.09.012","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.09.012","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><em>Introduction</em>: Surrogate Safety Measures (SSMs) such as time-to-collision, harsh braking, and post-encroachment time, are widely proposed in transportation science and are fruitful for road safety evaluations when detailed crash data are unavailable. Hence, this study aims to conduct spatial analysis of harsh braking events to explore their adaptability and informative power in a region with low crash counts, as this approach remains briefly addressed in the literature. <em>Method:</em> The analysis utilizes smartphone driving behavior data and OpenStreetMap road network characteristics of 6,103 road segments in the Region of Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Greece. A series of advanced statistical and machine learning models were applied. In addition to developing non-spatial models, the identification of spatial autocorrelation led to the development of spatial modeling techniques to account for spatial dependencies. <em>Results:</em> The number of trips per segment, segment length, speeding and mobile phone use are positively correlated with harsh braking. Conversely, motorways exhibited fewer harsh braking events compared to other road types. Furthermore, the number of trips per examined road segment was the most influential predictor, highlighting its importance as a proxy measure of risk exposure. In terms of model performance, the Spatial Zero-Inflated Negative Binomial (SZINB) model outperformed the corresponding non-spatial model. Moreover, the Spatial Random Forest (SRF) model reduced the absolute values of spatial autocorrelation in the residuals and showed a better fit to the observed data compared to the conventional Random Forest model. <em>Conclusions:</em> Geometrical and behavioral parameters can be combined to meaningfully conduct road safety analysis spatially and proactively, as they are highly correlated with harsh braking SSMs, while the SZINB and the SRF model exhibited better model fit than their non-spatial counterparts. <em>Practical Applications:</em> The study results can assist policymakers in developing appropriate countermeasures to reduce harsh braking in targeted spatial units, thereby enhancing overall road safety.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48224,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Safety Research","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 98-108"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142697874","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The ROADS project: Road observational assessment of driving distractions","authors":"Marko Gjorgjievski ,&nbsp;Bradley Petrisor ,&nbsp;Sheila Sprague ,&nbsp;Silvia Li ,&nbsp;Herman Johal ,&nbsp;Bill Ristevski","doi":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.016","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.jsr.2024.11.016","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;div&gt;&lt;div&gt;&lt;em&gt;Background&lt;/em&gt;: Globally, motor-vehicle collisions cause 1.35 million deaths and more than 78 million injuries every year, with distracted driving contributing to many of these tragedies. Our main objective was to covertly determine the proportion of distracted drivers in live traffic. &lt;em&gt;Methods:&lt;/em&gt; ROADS was a covert observational study conducted from November 2020–June 2021. We observed drivers on the highways and urban streets between Hamilton and Toronto, Ontario. The research team observed drivers of moving vehicles and collected data covertly while driving beside them in live traffic. Moving passenger vehicles ahead of the research team were randomly screened for inclusion. Stopped/parked vehicles, buses, and semi-trucks were excluded. Demographic and safety variables included estimated age and sex, seatbelt usage, and two-handed driving. Driving distractions were categorized as in-vehicle, outer-vehicle, and mobile phones. Driving errors, such as lane drift, evasive maneuvers, and near-crash/crash, were recorded. We analyzed associations between demographic and situational variables (weekday/weekend, urban/highway, presence/absence of passenger) and distracted driving, as well as associations between driving errors and distracted driving. &lt;em&gt;Results:&lt;/em&gt; Of the observed 1,105 drivers, 609 (55.1%) were distracted. In-vehicle distractions (42.3%, 467/1105) were most prevalent, while 151 (13.7%) drivers were using mobile phones. Hands-free usage was observed in 92 (8.3%) drivers, while 63 (5.7%) drivers used a handheld device, visibly manipulating (3.4%, 38/1105), or actively talking (2.3%, 25/1105). Of the 24 (2.2%) drivers observed exhibiting driving errors, 23 (95.8%) drivers were visibly distracted. Younger estimated age (under 30 years old: OR 2.0, CI 1.320–3.105; 30–50 years old: OR 1.5, CI 1.090–1.925), and driver errors were significantly associated with distracted driving (p &lt; 0.005). Sex, urban vs highways, and weekday vs weekend did not demonstrate a statistically significant association with distracted driving. &lt;em&gt;Conclusion:&lt;/em&gt; By covertly observing moving vehicles while actively participating in live traffic, we identified that 55.1% of drivers were distracted, and approximately one in seven drivers used their mobile phones. Of the 24 drivers who were recorded making driving errors, an astounding 95.8% (23) were distracted, with two-thirds of these drivers illegally engaging with their phones. Also, driving on city streets versus highways (&gt;60 km/hr) did not play a role in distracted driving. All this indicates that distracted driving is not only prevalent but also pervasive. Future research should focus on targeted driver education and behavioral modification. &lt;em&gt;Practical Applications:&lt;/em&gt; This data can be applied towards driver education programs counseling drivers on dangerous distracting behaviors, as well as influencing legislature, informing, and providing law enforcement insight into worri","PeriodicalId":48224,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Safety Research","volume":"92 ","pages":"Pages 91-97"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-22","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142697875","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}