Examining Behavioral Factors Affecting the Frequency of Motorcycle Accidents and Near-Crash Events (Case Study: Isfahan)

Document Type : Scientific - Research

Authors
Mehdi Fallah Tafti 1
Mojtaba Rajabi-Bahaabadi 2
َAhmad Mohajeri 3
Mohammad Amin Jazi 4
1 Associate Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Civil Engineering Department, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
3 Ph.D. Student, Civil Engineering Department, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
4 M.Sc., Civil Engineering Department, Yazd University, Yazd, Iran
10.22119/jte.2025.535016.2743
Abstract
Understanding the behavioral patterns that influence motorcyclist accidents plays a significant role in developing traffic safety programs. The objective of this research was to investigate the relationship between motorcyclists' behavioral factors and the rate of accidents and near-miss incidents among riders in Isfahan. The standard "Motorcycle Rider Behavior" questionnaire was revised, with several items added to suit Iranian conditions. After data collection, Exploratory Factor Analysis identified four main factors: "Risky, Showy, and Impulsive Behaviors", "Intentional Violations", "Non-adherence to Safety Equipment Principles," and "Perceptual and Cognitive Errors". To evaluate the impact of these factors, two count regression models namely, "number of accidents in the last two years" and "number of near-miss incidents in the last three months," were developed. The results indicated that in both models, all behavioral factors were significant. However, the "Intentional Violations" and "Risky, Showy, and Impulsive Behaviors" factors had the greatest impact, with standardized coefficients of 0.8 and 0.6 in the first model, and 0.49 and 0.44 in the second. Among the 24 behaviors examined, "Failure to use turn signals" and "Changing lanes without checking mirrors" (with an average score of 3.3 out of 5) were identified as the most common high-risk behaviors. Behaviors such as "Using a mobile phone," "Failure to observe the speed limit," "Overtaking from the right," and "Weaving between lanes" (with an average score of 2.9 out of 5) ranked next. The findings of this research can be used to develop educational interventions, oversight measures, and policy-making for enhancing the safety of motorcyclists.
Keywords
Motorcycle crashes
Risky riding behaviors
Motorcyclist behavior
Exploratory factor analysis
Subjects
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Quarterly Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 17, Issue 4 - Serial Number 69
Spring 2026
Pages 5653-5674

  • Receive Date 30 July 2025
  • Revise Date 12 November 2025
  • Accept Date 27 December 2025