The validity of the short driver behaviour questionnaire in varying road users groups in India: age, gender, and driving frequency

Rahul Kshatriya; Pooja K M; Yogeshwar V Navandar; Karuppanagounder Krishnamurthy

doi:10.55329/rffp3251

Authors

Rahul Kshatriya National Institute of Technology Calicut, India https://orcid.org/0009-0002-0676-0097
Pooja K M National Institute of Technology Calicut, India https://orcid.org/0009-0008-0758-6872
Yogeshwar V Navandar National Institute of Technology Calicut, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5788-0609
K Krishnamurthy National Institute of Technology Calicut, India https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6606-9746

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.55329/rffp3251

Keywords:

CFA, DBQ, driver behaviour questionnaire, EFA, road safety

Abstract

The Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) is a widely used tool for assessing driving behaviours and their implications for road safety. This study examined the factor structure of the DBQ in an Indian context, where cultural and regulatory conditions may shape aberrant driving patterns differently. Data were collected from 1,665 drivers across multiple states through both online and in-person surveys, with 1,657 valid responses retained after outlier removal. The dataset included 28 DBQ items rated on a 5-point Likert scale, along with demographic variables. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted to explore alternative two-, three-, and four-factor structures, followed by Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to evaluate the model fit. EFA suggested a two-factor solution as a simpler data-driven representation; however, it demonstrated weak reliability in one factor and a limited ability to distinguish between constructs. In contrast, the four-factor solution not only explained more variance (37.55%) with balanced reliability across factors, but also aligned with theoretical expectations and prior DBQ research. CFA further confirmed the superiority of the four-factor model, which yielded stronger fit indices (χ²/df = 7.601, CFI = .851, RMSEA = .063) and demonstrated measurement invariance across gender, age, and driving frequency. The four factors—Risky and Rule-Violating Behaviours, Safe and Responsible Driving Practices, Driving Errors and Cognitive Lapses, and Distracted and Emotionally Influenced Driving—offer a robust, culturally adapted framework for understanding driver behaviour in India. This validated structure provides a reliable basis for identifying high-risk behaviours and guiding evidence-based road safety interventions.

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Author Biographies

Rahul Kshatriya, National Institute of Technology Calicut, India

Rahul Kshatriya got his master's from NDMVPS's KBT College of Engineering, Nashik in 2014. He is currently working as an Assistant Professor in Matoshri College of Engineering and Research Centre, Nashik, with 11 years' experience in the field of teaching. Also, he is a PhD Scholar in Department of Civil Engineering at NIT Calicut, Kerala. His research is in traffic safety, behaviour of drivers, and road safety. He has a good hands-on experience in data collection and data analysis.

CRediT contribution: Conceptualization, Data curation, Formal analysis, Investigation, Methodology, Resources, Writing—original draft.

Pooja K M, National Institute of Technology Calicut, India

Pooja KM is a M.Tech scholar in Department of Civil Engineering at NIT Calicut, Kerala. Her research is behaviour of drivers and road safety. He has a good hands-on experience in data collection and data management.

CRediT contribution: Data curation, Resources, Writing—original draft.

Yogeshwar V Navandar, National Institute of Technology Calicut, India

Dr. Yogeshwar V. Navandar currently working as Assistant Professor in Department of Civil Engineering at the National Institute of Technology Calicut, India. He worked on ‘Traffic flow operational analysis at manually operated toll plazas under mixed traffic conditions in India’ for his PhD. The thesis is relevant in terms of qualitative and quantitative evaluation for the user’s perception and traffic flow operational characteristics respectively. The concept of Tollbooth Equivalency Factor (TEF) has been proposed by him which is one of the novel approaches to convert mixed traffic into equivalent flow at toll plaza instead of PCU. He has developed a road user’s perceived Level of Service model using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) and Ordered Probit Model (OPM). He has a good hands-on experience in data collection, data management, advanced modelling (such as SEM and OPM), and analytical capability. His area of research expertise includes traffic flow analysis, road safety, pedestrian safety, infrastructure management, inland waterways and users’ perceptions related studies.

CRediT contribution: Methodology, Supervision, Validation, Writing—review & editing.

K Krishnamurthy, National Institute of Technology Calicut, India

K. Krishnamurthy is presently Professor, in the Department of Civil Engineering, National Institute of Technology Calicut, India. He graduated in Civil Engineering from Bharathiyar University, Coimbatore, in 1993 and obtained post graduate degree in Urban Engineering from Anna University, Chennai, in 1996. He completed his doctoral degree in Transportation Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology, Madras. He has over 25 years of experience in teaching and research in Traffic and Transportation Engineering. The areas of academic and research interest include traffic flow modelling, road safety analysis, non-motorized transport, transport economic analysis and environmental impact assessment of transport. Besides teaching, he has guided several post-graduate students, research scholars and published over 75 research and technical papers at various conferences and in national and international journals. He is a core member in the Centre for Transportation Research (CTR)—a centre of excellence established at NIT Calicut, founded by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India. He is a certified ‘Road Safety Engineer and Auditor’ Accredited by the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways (MoRTH), Govt. of India. Also, he is a member in several professional bodies in the area of traffic and transportation engineering.

CRediT contribution: Supervision, Validation, Writing—review & editing.

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