Volume 27, Issue 138, August 2023

Patterns of risky driving behaviors among Preventive Medicine Residents in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, 2023

Leena E Azhar^1♦, Amal H Alghamdi²

¹Preventive Medicine Postgraduate Program, Ministry of Health, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
ORCID: 0000-0002-0530-8501
²Saudi Board of Preventive Medicine Program, Public Health Administration, Ministry of Health, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
ORCID: 0009-0003-9687-916X

^♦Corresponding author
Preventive Medicine Postgraduate Program, Ministry of Health, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
ORCID: 0000-0002-0530-8501

ABSTRACT

Introduction: Risky driving behavior is a significant public health problem that is responsible for the majority of fatal traffic accidents. This study evaluated the prevalence of risky driving behaviors among Preventive Medicine Residents across Saudi Arabia. Subjects and Methods: A cross-sectional study targeted a sample of 276 preventive medicine residents of all 10 programs in Saudi Arabia cities. A self-reported Manchester Driver Behavior Questionnaire reflecting risky driving behavior was used. Main Results: A total of 276 participants were included, with (60.9%) being male, almost half of the participants were within the 26-30 age group (47.8%). Regarding driving experience, the majority of participants (53.6%) had been driving for more than 9 years since obtaining their driving license. Of all participants, 14.5% reported racing for a one-car gap and 4.3% engaged in unofficial races and exhibited risky driving behaviors, 84.1% never participated in unofficial races and 43.5% never disregarded speed limits. The distance driven per day (RR=1.02, 95% CI: 1.01-1.03, p<0.001), males (RR=4.1, 95% CI: 3.1-, p<0.001), residency level (R1, R2, R3) (RR=0.7, 95% CI: 0.6-0.8, p<0.001), and years of driving experience (RR=1.8, 95% CI: 1.4-2.3, p=0.018) significantly contribute to the occurrence of dangerous driving. Conclusion and Recommendations: A substantial proportion of study participants admitted engaging in risky driving behaviors indicating a propensity for dangerous driving habits. Implementing effective strategies can improve road safety and reduce the incidence of risky driving behaviors among medical residents and the general public.

Keywords: Risky driving, risky behaviors, preventive medicine, medical residents

Medical Science, 2023, 27, e317ms3137

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.54905/disssi/v27i138/e317ms3137

Published: 01 August 2023