Assessing the factors affecting the horn usage of private car drivers in Dhaka city

Abstract

The never-ending sound of traffic, primarily characterized by the continuous honking of horns, resonates through the bustling streets of Dhaka. The transportation contributing to the ambient noise in residential areas, causes hearing loss, cardiovascular disease, fatigue, stress, depression and many other physical and mental health issues. Horn honking accounts for the majority of the noise produced by transportation. As a result, a considerable amount of research has been done on noise-polluting activity due to transportation, nevertheless, very few studies have focused on the noise pollution due to horn, particularly from the perspective of developing countries. While limited number of studies have been done focusing this issue in developed countries where the vehicle horn honking is not prevalent. However, in Bangladesh, from research perspective noise pollution due to horn honking is less addressed resulting in more noise pollution and less awareness among drivers. The intent of the study is to determine the causes behind honking in Dhaka city. The study aims to investigate how travel habits, traffic and road condition, noise pollution knowledge and other factors affect the decision-making process of drivers to frequent horn usage in a congested city like Dhaka. Our study focuses solely on private car drivers in Dhaka, which provides targeted insights into the behaviors and motivations that influence horn usage, which is essential for exploring the factors of horn honking. A questionnaire was crafted with 65 questions, divided into seven subcategories, by examining prior research, taking into account the local context, and conducting a preliminary study. These categories encompass perceptions regarding horn use, road conditions and location, impact of horn honking, enforcement and awareness regarding horn honking, health issue and environmental effects due to horn noise, drivers training, and socio-demographic information of the drivers. The survey was conducted to gather information from randomly selected 370 private car drivers in diverse locations across Dhaka city, including parking lots of shopping malls, hospitals, educational institutions and other places. A total of 64 independent variables were incorporated using the responses from this survey. Ordered Probit Model is used to account for the ordinal nature of the dependent variable and discerning the circumstances under which drivers are inclined to honk their horns. The Ordered Probit Model will depict the connection between the dependent and independent variables. This study's findings will identify the significant factors that influence the frequency of the usage of horns. It will assist to determine the factors which influence the drivers to use more horn. Furthermore, the variables with substantial impact on the driver’s perception on using horn will be understood from the outcome of this study. This paper will guide policymakers in implementing essential measures against the factors influencing in horn usage and to enhance drivers’ awareness of noise pollution and health hazards due to excessive horn honking, such as launching awareness campaigns and safety education initiatives among drivers. Additionally, respective authorities can utilize the findings of this study to establish a robust monitoring system for the situations when the likelihood of horn usage is more