Exploring bus drivers’ perceptions of intersection-related accidents on highways

Intersections are crucial locations for drivers due to the escalating rate of accidents occurring at conflict
points. In addition to road design, the safety perception of drivers at intersections is a major concern,
particularly in developing countries like Bangladesh, where many drivers may lack of formal education
and awareness of safety measures. Therefore, it is necessary to understand drivers’ insights into
accidents in such hazardous locations. This study aims to explore dangerous drivers’ behavior and
factors associated with highway intersection accidents, perceived by bus drivers and establish a
relationship between the factors and drivers’ behaviors. A questionnaire survey was conducted on 255
bus drivers on two pivotal highways in Bangladesh: the Dhaka-Bhanga Expressway (N8), and the
Joydebpur-Elenga Highway (N4). The questionnaire consisted of three sections; the first section
included the socio-demographic characteristics of the drivers. The second section encompasses the
driver’s experience and behavior while driving on the road and the third section comprises road-related
factors. The research identifies three types of dangerous driving behavior (DDB) associated with
intersection accidents: namely, reckless driving, faulty maneuvering, and lack of awareness or distracted
driving. Conventional statistical tests were employed to elucidate the relationship between the DDB
and accident-contributing factors. The chi-square tests demonstrated a significant relationship between
the dependent variables (DDB) and drivers’ age, driving experience, driving frequency, speed limit
violations, and other factors. Further analysis revealed that younger graduates with less than five years
of driving experience are involved in reckless driving. Conversely, older experienced drivers are more
prone to engaging in faulty maneuvering, and distracted driving is associated with driving frequency
and non-compliance with traffic regulations. Understanding the perspectives of Bangladeshi bus drivers
regarding accidents at highway intersections can facilitate the development of improved intersection
designs that align with drivers’ expectations and contribute to the reduction of accidents.