Road traffic accidents have long been a major issue in Malaysia, causing many deaths and financial losses. As per the Malaysian Institute of Road Safety Research (MIROS), more than 5000 fatalities were recorded annually for the last 10 years, as of 2022. A recent study looked at Malaysian drivers using the Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) to pinpoint risky driving habits that lead to these accidents.

This study is crucial as it tackles a persistent problem, offering insights valuable for researchers and policymakers. The study identified three main risky behaviours: violations, errors, and lapses, with violations being the most common. These include impatience with slow drivers, tailgating, and speeding, which put not only the drivers but also others at risk.

The scope of this study focuses on risky driving behaviour as the cause of these accidents. To analyse driving behaviour, the study employed a questionnaire method. The questionnaire was developed by Reason et al. in 1990 and is called the Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ). It is a 50-item self-report questionnaire. It divides behaviour into ‘errors’ and ‘violations’. Violations are deliberate deviations from safe driving practices, whereas errors refer to the failure of certain planned actions which should have been performed. It also included a third category titled slips and lapses. Later versions of the DBQ used varying lengths such as the 24-item version by Parker et al. (1995).

For this study, a 25-item DBQ was used, comprising 10 violations, 7 errors and 8 lapses. Participants were asked how often they had committed each of the 25 behaviours over the last year, on a Likert-type scale of 1 to 5, with 1 being the least frequent and 5 being the most. For the data collection, participants were randomly chosen at Rest and Recreation (R&R) locations in the Klang Valley. There was a response rate of 18.1%, and out of the 348 responses received, 311 were found to be valid, with the remainder being classed as outliers.

Based on the results of the study, Malaysian drivers were found to be higher in practically all the categories surveyed when compared to other developing nations. One example was the score for ‘Become impatient with the slow driver in the right lane and overtake on the left lane’, which had a mean score of 2.82. The United Kingdom had a mean of 0.70, Finland had 0.22, and Jordan had 2.13, for comparison. Overall, Malaysia’s highest mean score was 2.08 for violations, 1.92 for errors, and 2.17 for lapses. As such, it can be seen that Malaysian drivers tend to practice risky driving habits.

Nevertheless, as with any study, there are some limiting factors to the data gathered. Social desirability and lapses in memory are both reasons that participants may have provided inaccurate answers to the survey. Therefore, the data gathered can not be claimed to be completely accurate. In addition, the data was only gathered from drivers of motorcars, meaning that the study does not account for drivers of buses, lorries, and other vehicles.

Regardless, there is a practical side to this research in its potential to guide targeted safety campaigns and interventions aimed at reducing these dangerous behaviours, thereby lowering accident rates. This affects many people, including daily commuters, young drivers, and public transport users, focusing on boosting overall safety. The common risky behaviours can be identified via the use of DBQs in order to effectively target and prevent them.

This study underscores prevalent risky driving behaviours among Malaysian drivers, revealing a critical need for targeted safety interventions. By focusing on identified behaviours like impatience, tailgating, and speeding, policymakers can develop more effective strategies to enhance road safety. Addressing these issues not only aims to reduce accident rates but also aligns with broader public health goals and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goal 3, which seeks to promote well-being through the reduction of traffic-related injuries and fatalities. Enhanced safety measures can ultimately lead to a safer driving environment, benefiting all road users.

This article was adapted from the following study:

Predicting Risky Driving Behaviours of Malaysian Drivers Using the Self-Report Driving Behaviour Questionnaire

Dr Nur Shazwani Rosli
Sunway Business School
Email: @email