A Study on the Differences in Driving Skills of Chinese Bus and Taxi Drivers

Abstract

Professional drivers constitute an important group of drivers who shoulder the responsibility of safely transporting passengers and cargo. Bus drivers and taxi drivers are an important part of the urban public transport system, and their driving safety affects road traffic safety. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to explore the differences between bus drivers and taxi drivers in their driving behaviors and driving skills and to predict their traffic accident involvement based on these behaviors and skills. We conducted a field survey of 274 bus drivers and 178 taxi drivers in Hefei, China. The results revealed significant differences between bus drivers and taxi drivers in terms of violations, lack of concentration and technical driving skills. Aggression and violations had significant predictive effects on bus drivers’ traffic accident involvement, and memory lapses and a lack of safety consciousness had significant predictive effects on taxi drivers’ accident involvement.