Factors Affecting Traffic Accidents in Kermanshah City Taxi Drivers - Focusing on the Role of Fatigue and Sleep Quality

Traffic accidents are one of the most important challenges metropolises face, which impose significant costs on them every year. This study was conducted to determine the prevalence of accidents and the factors affecting them among city taxi drivers in Kermanshah, Iran.

In this descriptive-analytical cross-sectional study, 320 male urban taxi drivers in Kermanshah were investigated in 2018. The required data were collected using a multi-part questionnaire including demographic and occupational characteristics, a visual analog scale for fatigue, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. To analyze the data, non-parametric statistical tests and logistic regression models were employed by using SPSS software (version 25).

The frequency of accidents among urban taxi drivers of Kermanshah was 38.3% (n=123). Significant differences were observed in the variables of work experience, fatigue level, and smoking among drivers with and without accidents (P<0.05). Based on logistic regression, smoking (odds ratio: 2.68 and 95% confidence interval: 1.66-4.33) and one unit increase in the fatigue level (odds ratio: 1.01 and 95% confidence interval: 1.00-0.1-02) were significantly associated with an increased chance of the accident in the drivers.

Due to the relatively high prevalence of accidents among urban taxi drivers, it is necessary to design and prioritize comprehensive programs to identify and control the factors affecting accidents in this group of drivers.