Work-traffic crashes and aberrant driving behaviors among full-time ride-hailing and taxi drivers: a comparative study

As a product of China's transportation development in the last decade, the issue of road traffic crashes among ride-hailing drivers has become a growing concern for public safety. This study aims to investigate the human factors contributing to traffic crashes among traditional taxi and ride-hailing drivers, and to compare the similarities and differences between the two groups of drivers. The data was collected from 877 taxi drivers and 906 full-time ride-hailing drivers through a self-reported survey. The structural equation model was used to investigate structural interrelationships between the financial burden, work-related fatigue (WRF), road safety attitude, aberrant driving behaviors (ADBs) of the drivers and their influences on work-traffic crashes. Relevant results showed that there were significant differences in the work status between the two groups of drivers. The heavy economic burden increased the perception of WRF among taxi drivers and contributed to traffic crashes. Ride-hailing drivers had a more positive attitude toward road safety and controlled their ADBs better. These results will help formulate policy recommendations aimed at improving road safety among taxi and ride-hailing drivers.