TOUR BUS CRASHES FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF TOUR GUIDES

Purpose – This study aims to understand the causes of tour bus crashes (TBCs) and related injuries, which are considered in the context of work-related accidents (WRAs). Design/Methodology/Approach – Five categories were obtained under occupational safety and health (OSH) by adopting qualitative and quantitative methods. Content analyses were employed by MAXQDA, 2020 for both open-ended survey questions and focus group interviews. Findings – TBCs and resulting injuries substantially result from i) negligence and unintentional faults of tour guides, ii) physical faults of drivers such as fatigue and insomnia, iii) physical conditions such as the environment and roads, iv) cost-orientation by travel agencies and intensive tour programs v) structural reasons such as night travels. A significant relationship was determined between the physical faults of drivers and intensive tour programs of travel agencies. Therefore, it was determined that unsafe conditions have a much higher impact than expected on TBCs. Originality of the research – TBCs were studied in the context of OSH for the first time. The study unveils the reasons behind fatal and non-fatal injuries of the TBCs by focusing on unsafe behavior and unsafe conditions.