Structural equation modeling approach for investigating drivers’ risky behavior in clear and adverse weather using SHRP2 naturalistic driving data

Abstract This study presented an extensive assessment of risky driving behavior through Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) technique and explored the applicability of this method in identifying contributing factors influencing drivers’ risk-taking behavior in clear and adverse weather. Drivers’ questionnaire responses as well as vehicle trajectories of their completed trips in clear and adverse weather were utilized from the SHRP2 Naturalistic Driving Study (NDS). Factor analyses were conducted to identify the number of unobserved “latent” variables. Subsequently, two SEM models in clear and adverse weather were developed to attain the relationships between the observed and the latent variables. “Human Factors” and “Driving Skills” were determined as exogenous latent variables in both models to investigate their impacts on an endogenous latent variable (i.e., risky driving). The results suggested that “Human Factors” was the most significant latent variable affecting drivers’ risk-taking behavior in clear and adverse weather conditions. Moreover, speeding was found to have a significant impact on risky behavior in adverse weather conditions. The findings could help safety practitioners with better understanding of the influencing factors affecting risky driving to improve safety through proper enforcement and necessary training programs, particularly targeting young and inexperienced drivers.