Road safety and heavy goods vehicle driving in LMICs: Qualitative evidence from Nepal

Heavy goods vehicle drivers are an influential driving population in Nepal, with over 90% of goods in the country are transported by road. Due to the time spent on the road, drivers have long periods of exposure to the risk of crash involvement. The study explores the perceptions and experiences of heavy goods vehicle drivers and representatives from their professional association regarding road danger. The authors conducted semi-structured interviews with fifteen heavy goods vehicle drivers regularly driving on the East-West highway of Makwanpur District, Nepal. A focus group was conducted with eleven members from a major transportation entrepreneur's association in Nepal. The focus group and interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, translated, and analyzed using thematic analysis. Four themes were developed- assumptions of blame; perceptions of safety culture in the trucking industry; influence of road infrastructure; and behaviors of road users. The road and traffic environment, enforcement, and the safety culture in the heavy vehicle industry not only influenced the attitudes of the road users towards traffic safety but also legitimized and encouraged behaviors that affect safety. General and industry-related road safety improvements suggested by participants included: making provision for heavy good vehicles parking areas, separating the highway with a median strip, improving crash investigation capacity, conducting road safety awareness and training programs, strictly enforcing the speed limit and laws about driving under the influence of alcohol/drugs, and formulating strategies to create a safe, supportive working environment in the heavy vehicle industry. Heavy goods vehicle drivers and members of the professional association can provide rich information regarding the barriers and facilitators of road risk in Nepal. Their perceptions and opinions can contribute to devising interventions at individual, societal, organizational, and governmental levels, and inform efforts to develop a positive safety culture within the heavy vehicle transport industry.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jth.2021.101247
• Record URL:
  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140521002772
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/issn/22141405
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2021 Anish Khadka, et al. Published by Elsevier Ltd. Abstract reprinted with permission of Elsevier.
• Authors:
  • Khadka, Anish
  • 0000-0003-4432-7198
  • Gautam, Preeti
  • 0000-0002-2040-5000
  • Joshi, Elisha
  • 0000-0002-3534-276X
  • Pilkington, Paul
  • Parkin, John
  • 0000-0002-6084-4569
  • Joshi, Sunil Kumar
  • 0000-0002-2704-5060
  • Mytton, Julie
• Publication Date: 2021-12

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Features: References;
• Serial:
  • Journal of Transport & Health
  • Volume: 23
  • Issue Number: 0
  • Publisher: Elsevier
  • ISSN: 2214-1405
  • Serial URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/journal/22141405

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Commercial drivers; Developing countries; Highway safety; Safety culture; Urban goods movement
• Geographic Terms: Nepal
• Subject Areas: Freight Transportation; Highways; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01783308
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Sep 28 2021 11:30AM