Contribution of traffic behavior surveys for monitoring safety performance indicators in Germany: Case of mobile phone use while driving

Abstract Behavioral determinants in the form of safety performance indicators (SPIs) are increasingly being applied in addition to road traffic crash statistics to evaluate road safety. These SPIs help understand driving behaviors and adopt preventive measures for crashes. Behavior-explaining determinants, including attitude or subjective norms, are defined in the theory of planned behavior and are collected through surveys. In this study, data from three traffic behavior surveys, conducted in Germany, were employed, taking the example of mobile phone use while driving, which causes distraction and represents a road safety risk. The surveys differ in their methodology and results. While the Traffic Climate in Germany has been surveying the determinants of mobile phone use in a representative sample for several years, the E-Survey of Road Users' Attitudes (ESRA) is conducted in parallel in several countries and allows for comparison with Germany. The survey by the International Association of Traffic and Safety Science (IATSS) only included the group of young drivers in Germany. All three surveys demonstrate that although attitudes and subjective norms tend to be negative, mobile phones are nevertheless used while driving. Major differences exist depending on the mode of use (hands-free calling, texting) and recent developments. Thus, regularly surveying the determinants and mapping the latest developments in terms of content is critical. Together, these surveys provide comprehensive insights into the topic and enable prevention approaches, such as the concrete communication of information to young drivers and the emphasis on dangers, even during the hands-free use of mobile phones while driving.