Taxi driver's views about risky driving behaviors in Tehran: a qualitative study

Road traffic crashes are the second highest cause of mortality in Iran and risky driving behaviors among Iranian drivers are evident. In this study, the views of taxi drivers about risky driving behaviors were extracted in order to recommend the effective interventions for modifying these behaviors. This was a qualitative study carried out in Tehran, Iran. Forty-Two taxi drivers were invited to participate in four focus group discussions. Discutions on risky driving behaviors were tape recorded and were analyzed using a thematic approach. Data analysis showed five main themes: the role of taxi drivers in current driving situation in Tehran, driver's reasons for committing risky driving behaviors, actions for modifying risky driving behaviors, suitable places for implementing the recommended interventions and the best channels for communicating and persuading taxi drivers. The participants believed that developing and communicating well-developed persuasive messages for increasing their concentration during driving and reminding the message content by taxi driver's opinion leaders can affect their driving behaviors. According to findings, a consumer-oriented planning model such as social marketing was recommended to modify the risky driving behaviors among taxi drivers in Tehran.