International Journal of

ADVANCED AND APPLIED SCIENCES

EISSN: 2313-3724, Print ISSN: 2313-626X

Frequency: 12
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 Volume 11, Issue 12 (December 2024), Pages: 83-90

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 Original Research Paper

Is mobile phone use while driving prevalent? Evidence from Saudi Arabia

 Author(s): 

 Mubarak H. Elhafian, Hamid H. Hussien *, Abdulaziz S. Alghamdi

 Affiliation(s):

 Department of Mathematics, College of Science and Arts, King Abdulaziz University, P.O. Box 344, Rabigh 21911, Saudi Arabia

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 * Corresponding Author. 

  Corresponding author's ORCID profile: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5059-181X

 Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

 https://doi.org/10.21833/ijaas.2024.12.010

 Abstract

Mobile phone use while driving is common in Saudi Arabia despite the presence of laws prohibiting it. This study aimed to examine the impact of mobile phone use on driving, as well as the attitudes and behaviors of male drivers. Data were collected through online surveys distributed to 1,000 drivers, representing the driving population. A total of 884 responses were received from licensed drivers who reported driving a car within the 30 days prior to the survey. Frequency analysis was performed for each survey item, and statistical tests, including the chi-square test and the Mann-Whitney U test, were used to identify associations and differences in unsafe driving behaviors. The findings revealed that 98% of participants used a mobile phone for activities such as texting, calling, or answering while driving. Although mobile phone use while driving was high across all regions, significant differences were found based on nationality (98% for Saudis compared to 95% for non-Saudis). However, age, education level, and driving experience did not show significant differences in drivers' attitudes or behaviors. Authorities should consider implementing stricter regulations to limit mobile phone use while driving. Future research should also explore the broader issue of distraction among all road users, including pedestrians.

 © 2024 The Authors. Published by IASE.

 This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).

 Keywords

 Mobile phone use, Driving behavior, Saudi Arabia, Road safety, Distracted driving

 Article history

 Received 28 July 2024, Received in revised form 25 October 2024, Accepted 19 November 2024

 Acknowledgment

This work was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research (DSR) at King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, under grant no. G 1434/662/265. The authors, therefore, acknowledge, with thanks, DSR's technical and financial support.

 Compliance with ethical standards

 Ethical considerations

Informed consent was obtained from all participants, and their confidentiality and anonymity were maintained. The study adhered to ethical research practices in line with relevant guidelines and regulations.

 Conflict of interest: The author(s) declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

 Citation:

 Elhafian MH, Hussien HH, and Alghamdi AS (2024). Is mobile phone use while driving prevalent? Evidence from Saudi Arabia. International Journal of Advanced and Applied Sciences, 11(12): 83-90

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