Fatigue in taxi drivers and its relationship with traffic accident history and experiences: a cross-sectional study in the north of Iran

Abstract

Background The monotonous nature of work, long driving duration, and working overload hours cause frequent fatigue in taxi drivers. A high prevalence of fatigue is associated with traffic accidents. However, the risk factors associated with taxi driver fatigue are unclear. Therefore, the present study aims to determine the rate of fatigue in taxi drivers and its relationship to their traffic accident experience. Methods In this descriptive-analytical study, 400 taxi drivers in the city of Rasht were registered in Taxi association selected through random sampling and entered into the study based on inclusion criteria. Data was collected through a researcher-made questionnaire reliable and valid by two medical students. The statistical analysis used ordinal data and a Poisson regression model with SPSS software version 21, with a significance level set at 5%. Results The driver fatigue self-reported was directly and significantly related to alcohol consumption (OR = 3.43, 95% CI 1.01–11.62) and had a significant and inverse relationship with smoking (OR = 0.50, 95% CI 0.32–0.76), being married (OR = 0.08, 95% CI 0.01–0.40) and driving experience there was (OR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.94–0.98). Drivers’ sense of quality of life (QOL) was directly and significantly related to smoking (IRR = 1.43, 95% CI 1.28–1.59), education level under diploma (IRR = 2.41, 95% CI 1.43–4.06) diploma (IRR = 2.06, 95% CI 1.21–3.48) and bachelor (IRR = 2.42, 95% CI 1.36–4.29) and there was a significant and inverse relationship with age (IRR = 0.98, 95%CI 0.98–0.99). There was a significant relationship between the number of traffic accidents in the past year with the level of bachelor’s degree (IRR = 3.10, 95% CI 1.43–6.76) and driving experience (IRR = 1.03, 95% CI 1.02–1.04 and inverse relationship between the number of traffic accidents in the past year and the QOL sense (IRR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.93–0.99) and the working hours (IRR = 0.96, 95% CI 0.94–0.99). Conclusion Legislators and policymakers should pay more attention to fatigue in single and inexperienced taxi drivers. Regarding the QOL, pay attention to drivers with high education and older. To reduce the number of crashes, pay more attention to drivers with a bachelor’s degree and less driving experience and improve the feeling of QOL.