Abstract:
This study investigates the main driver-related factors in road traffic crashes in Gondar
city. It also shows the training, testing, and licensing systems. The essential data necessary
for the study was collected from the driver attitudinal survey, a driver habits field survey,
the five years of road traffic crash and offense records of the police, informal interviews,
observations, and a review of secondary data. A descriptive and statistical analysis is used
to describe the factors and behaviors of drivers in the causes of road traffic crashes and to
correlate and model the factors of drivers in the causes of road crashes.
The field survey was carried out at seven locations in different streets of Gondar city.
Driver’s habits were videotaped in real traffic conditions, and the data were extracted using
a playback technique using Frame Capture Video Editor. Statistical analysis of combined
site data results shows the behavior of drivers while driving: 84.1% speeding, 78.9%
illegally stopping and parking, 76.4% using their phones, 70% violating traffic signs, and
66.1% closely following and tailgating.
An attitudinal survey using a questionnaire was designed to capture key driver factors
related to road crashes. The descriptive analysis of the questionnaire responses revealed
that most drivers have experienced road traffic crashes by speeding, tailgating, not giving
priority to other road users, driving on prohibited lanes (roads), and violating traffic signs.
According to the findings, the majority of drivers engage in behaviors such as speeding,
using their mobile phone, talking with passengers, violating traffic signs, illegally stopping
or parking, not wearing seatbelts, and following too closely. Most of the drivers violate the
traffic law by overloading, stopping a car at an illegal place, talking on a mob ile phone,
violating traffic signs, and traveling in an unauthorized road direction. From 2017/2018 to
2021/2022 G.C traffic police reports, causing numerous fatal road traffic crashes in the
city, excessive speed, and non-priority to other road users, illegally stopping , close
following and tailgating, and driving outside the driving lane are the major causes of road
and traffic crashes. Overloading, illegally stopping, using a cellphone while driving,
disobeying traffic signs, not wearing seatbelts, not giving priority to other road users and
traveling in an unapproved road direction are among the most common traffic laws that
drivers have been violating over the past five years.
Furthermore, the study results indicate that Excessive speed, giving no priority to other
road users, illegally stopping , close following and tailgating, driving on prohibited lanes,
and violating traffic signs are the major contributing factors for road traffic crashes. Using
cellphone, not wearing seat belts, overloading, verbal abuse and traveling in an
unauthorized road direction are among the common behaviors to lead road crash in city.
Reduce the drivers' role in a road traffic crash by strengthening driver control and the
enforcement of penalty rules. For drivers' variables to be controlled, set and enforce
appropriate speed limits, drivers should be severely punished, annual strict control of
drivers should be done like vehicles, implement probationary period of driving experience,
increase the number of traffic controllers ‘and set security traffic controller ‘cameras.
Keywords: - Road traffic crashes, drivers factors, drivers behavior, violations.