Characteristics and mitigation strategies for cell phone use while driving among young drivers in Qatar

There is no doubt that cell phone use while driving can lead to a higher probability of driver error, which increases the likelihood of more crashes. In Qatar, the high rate of cell phone use while driving among young drivers is a major traffic safety concern. The objectives of this study are to identify the factors affecting this hazardous behavior and to suggest practical solutions to deter this specific category of drivers from driving while distracted. The study combined stated and revealed preference questions to design a detailed survey questionnaire. Data were collected from a sample of 403 young drivers. The structural equation modeling results showed that, for the revealed preference, conducting public campaigns may provide a suitable solution to reduce cell phone usage while driving. On the other hand, increasing enforcement did not seem to have a significant effect on reducing this type of behavior. For the stated preference, young drivers who had a crash history resulting from cell phone usage tend to use their cell phones less than those who did not have a cell phone related crash. Furthermore, the driving experience and safe duration of distraction had a significant effect on the cell phone usage. Based on the results, it is recommended to provide road safety campaigns to educate young drivers on the risk associated with such behavior. This information is valuable to legislators and traffic safety experts dealing with this problem in Qatar and other countries in the region.