Current and Future Trends in Driver Behaviour and Traffic Safety Scholarship: An African Research Agenda

Abstract

Road traffic accidents are strongly associated with driver behaviour. Africa, as a region, has the highest road accident fatality rate, but there is very little research dealing with this critical issue on the continent. This paper, therefore, sought to establish the state of driver behaviour and road safety scholarship in Africa to determine current research trends as well as potential future research directions. To this end, two bibliometric analyses were conducted, one which considered the issue from an African perspective and the other which considered the broader body of work. The analysis revealed a critical shortage of research related to driver behaviour in Africa. The existing body of research primarily focused on the identification of issues and tended to focus on narrow research problems within limited geographical areas. A need was identified for the collection of broader macro-level data and statistical analyses thereof to indicate regional traffic crash patterns; causes and effects; country-level studies, particularly countries with high traffic fatality rates and low levels of research; cross-country comparisons; and modelling. Future research directions should also include the link between driver behaviour, traffic safety and the sustainable developments goals, as well as policy-related research to determine current and potential future country-level policies.

A bibliometric analysis of driving behaviour of commercial transport drivers: An African perspective

“…However, in general, the output of research documents on commercial drivers' behaviour is still very low. Most articles within the top sources focus on specialized investigations conducted at the country level and targeting specific aspects which are in accordance with [18]. In light of this outcome, it is suggested that these resources have provided valuable insights that can be utilized by researchers in their future investigations on road user behaviour.…”

“…However, despite several research studies on the role of drivers' behaviour on the growing accident rate in Africa [3], [18], [19], [21] metric studies or assessments of research output on commercial drivers'…”

Investigating medical student's attitudes about road accident risks: A cross‐sectional study

“…14 The driver's attitude and behavior are related to sustainable development, and conducting research with such approaches informs policymakers of the need to implement interventions to improve driver behavior and reduce the incidence of accidents with regard to better socioeconomic conditions. 15 An attitude is a way of relating to someone or something, or a way of behaving that is influenced by that feeling or opinion. 16 Medical science students make up a significant portion of the young population of any society.…”

“…Compared to adults, younger drivers have a greater chance of being involved in fatal crashes caused by distracted driving 14 . The driver's attitude and behavior are related to sustainable development, and conducting research with such approaches informs policymakers of the need to implement interventions to improve driver behavior and reduce the incidence of accidents with regard to better socioeconomic conditions 15 . An attitude is a way of relating to someone or something, or a way of behaving that is influenced by that feeling or opinion 16 …”