Exploring the impact of perceived in-vehicle distractions on crashes and violations: investigating the mediating effects of inside-vehicle activities

Abstract

Inside-vehicle distractions have a profound impact on road safety by substantially increasing the risk of crashes and near-crash incidents. These distractions result in visual, manual, and cognitive impairments, which divert the driver’s attention from the critical task of driving. Consequently, this reduction in focus undermines the safety performance margin, heightening the potential for crashes. This study investigates the impact of perceived inside-vehicle distractions and actual inside-vehicle activities on traffic crashes and violations in the State of Qatar. Data was collected through questionnaire surveys targeting individuals with a valid Qatari license. Key distractions examined include mobile phone use (both hands-free and handheld), as well as eating or drinking while driving. The study also considers perceived inside-vehicle distractions, the frequency of actual in-vehicle activities, and their relationship to reported crashes and violations. The study used structural equation modeling to analyze how perceived distractions relate to crashes and violations, focusing on the mediating role of actual in-vehicle activities. The results reveal that perceived distractions from activities like driving and dining (perceived_DD), mobile phone hand-free use (perceived_HF), and mobile phone handheld use (perceived_HH) significantly influence driving behaviors. While drivers tend to reduce these behaviors when they perceive them as distracting, increased frequency of actual_DD, actual_HF, and actual_HH activities is associated with higher crash and violation rates. Indirect effects show that distraction frequency strongly predicts crash and violation risk, even if perceived distraction reduces occurrence. These findings emphasize the need to address both the perception and frequency of in-vehicle distractions, especially mobile phone use and eating, to enhance road safety.