Organisational Safety Climate, Professional Driver Behaviours, and Crashes Among a Mixed Group of Professional Drivers


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Yılmaz Ş., ÖZKAN T., ÖZ B.

Journal of Road Safety, vol.33, no.2, pp.5-16, 2022 (ESCI) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 33 Issue: 2
  • Publication Date: 2022
  • Doi Number: 10.33492/jrs-d-21-00054
  • Journal Name: Journal of Road Safety
  • Journal Indexes: Emerging Sources Citation Index (ESCI), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, Directory of Open Access Journals
  • Page Numbers: pp.5-16
  • Keywords: driver behaviour, driving crash, organisational safety climate, professional driver, safety culture, safety in the workplace
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

© The Author(s). 2021.The current study compared different driver groups and investigated the relationship between safety climate, driver behaviours, and crashes in a mixed group of professional drivers in Turkey. Two hundred and sixty drivers completed the scales developed explicitly for professional drivers, Transportation Companies’ Climate Scale and Occupational Driver Behaviour Questionnaire, along with the demographic form. Freight drivers scored higher on risky driver behaviours than passenger vehicle drivers. Organisational safety climate predicted driver behaviours. When the organisations are more sensitive regarding work and time pressure issues (low level of pressure), drivers are less likely to speed, violate the rules, and get tired. Additionally, risky driver behaviours were related to more crashes. Specifically, driving while tired positively predicted crashes after controlling for the effects of age and annual mileage. Altogether, a favourable safety climate predicted safer driving behaviours, which was found to be related to fewer crashes. The results were discussed in detail.