Acceptance of and engagement in risky driving behaviors by teenagers

Data gathered from 1,430 teenage student drivers and 880 teenage traffic violators were used to examine the levels of exposure to risky driving behaviors and perceptions concerning the level of danger of such behaviors. For student drivers, 55% reported exposure to risky driving by being in a car with a driver engaging in such activities as drunk driving, drag racing, and reckless driving. For the traffic violators, 43% had been engaged in one or more of the risky driving behaviors. Teenagers who had been exposed to risky driving practices were more accepting of risky driving behaviors.     

Socio-economic and driving experience factors affecting drivers’ perceptions of traffic crash risk

Drivers are estimated to contribute an overwhelming proportion to the burden of traffic crashes, as factors that increase crash risk are frequently due to unsafe driving behaviours. The relationship between risk perceptions and people’s risky driving behaviours is still not well understood. This paper aims to further analyse the potential effect of risky driving behaviours on drivers’ perceptions of crash risk and differences in perceptions among drivers.Crash risk perceptions in an inter-city, two-way road context of 492 drivers were measured by using a Stated Preference (SP) ranking survey. Rank-ordered logit models were used to evaluate the impact on risk perception of five unsafe driving behaviours and to identify differences in drivers’ risk perceptions. The five unsafe driving behaviours considered in the analysis were respectively related to whether or not the driver follows the speed limits, the rules of passing another car and the safe distance, whether or not the driver is distracted, and whether or not she/he is driving under optimal personal conditions.All risky driving behaviours showed a significant potential effect (p < 0.001) on crash risk perceptions, and model’s results allowed to differentiate more important from less important unsafe driving behaviours based on their weight on perceived crash risk. Additionally, this paper further analyses the potential differences in risk perception of these traffic violations between drivers of different characteristics, such as driving experience, household size, income and gender.The SP technique could be applied to further analyse differences in perceptions of risky driving behaviours among drivers. Future research should consider the potential effect of driving skill on perceptions of risky driving behaviours.     

Young male drivers’ risky driving 15 months after licensure – The role of intervention,attitudes towards accompanied driving,and parents’ risk

An indispensable issue in contemporary research on risk-taking by young drivers is parents’ influence on their offspring’s driving behavior. The current study measures this influence by using a risk index of parents’ driving behavior measured via in-vehicle data recorders together with young drivers’ self-reported answers to a set of questionnaires. Both parents and young drivers participated in one of three intervention program groups to enhance safe driving within a longitudinal study, and the outcome of this intervention was measured 15 months following licensure. The aim of the current study was thus to assess the contribution of parents’ actual driving behavior, participation in the intervention, and teen drivers’ attitudes towards accompanied driving (measured six months after licensure), to the reported risky driving of the young drivers fifteen months after receiving their driving license. The data consist of a sample of 78 parent-young driver dyads who were originally randomly assigned to one of three intervention groups (receiving different forms of feedback) or a control group (with no feedback). Findings indicate that the feedback and training to parents intervention group, as well as parents’ risky driving events rate, were positively associated with the reported proneness to reckless driving and the reckless driving habits of the young drivers. In addition, lower perception of accompanied driving as enabling a sense of relatedness with parents, and higher negative perceptions of this period, were related to higher reported risky driving among young drivers fifteen months after licensure. The results highlight the importance of parents’ behavior and relationships with their offspring as key concepts in moderating risky driving among young drivers. Practical implications for road safety are discussed.     

Risky driving among young male drivers: The effects of mood and passengers

Young male drivers are at greater risk of automobile crashes than other drivers. Efforts to reduce risky driving in this population have met with mixed success. The present research was designed to examine the effects of induced mood and the presence or absence of passengers on risky driving in young male drivers. Male drivers (n = 204) aged 16–18 were tested in a driving simulator. This study employed a 2 (happy/sad mood) by 2 (passenger present/absent) between-subjects factorial design, and examined driving behavior in a simulator. Measures of risky driving were combined into two factors representing speed (e.g., exceeding the speed limit) and carelessness (e.g., crossing the center line). Findings indicated that driving with a passenger resulted in faster driving than driving alone. Although there was no significant main effect of induced mood on driving, results revealed a significant interaction of mood and passenger conditions: when in a happy mood, driving with a passenger significantly increased driving speed. There were no significant effects of passenger or mood on careless driving. In conclusion, both mood and passenger presence are important factors in fast driving among young male drivers. Results are discussed in the context of developing more effective countermeasures for this at-risk population.     

Risky behaviours associated with traffic crashes among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers in Vietnam

Motorcycle taxi services provide an important mobility option for people in developing countries. With the emergence of new transport technologies, app-based motorcycle taxi services have become increasingly popular in recent years. However, little is known about risky driving behaviours and their association with traffic crashes among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers. Through a survey of 602 app-based motorcycle taxi drivers from three cities in Vietnam, this research aimed to investigate the incidence of risky driving behaviours and their association with driver characteristics and traffic crashes. Using a mobile phone while driving was found to be the most common risky driving behaviour (52%) among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers, followed by neglecting to use turn signals (31%), encroaching car lanes (25%), exceeding the speed limit (21%), running red lights (19%) and carrying more than one passenger (17%). In addition, drivers who were students, or those who worked more than 50 h per week, were found to be more likely to engage in risky driving behaviours. Binary logistic regression modelling showed that neglecting to use turn signals, carrying more than one passenger and smoking while driving was significantly associated with self-reported active crash/fall involvement. Turn signal neglect was also associated with active injury crash/fall involvement. The incidence of risky driving behaviours and associated crash involvement was found to be lower among app-based motorcycle taxi drivers compared with regular motorcyclists, yet the findings still highlight the need for ride-hailing firms to deliver improved education and road safety training for their drivers.     

Designing road safety interventions for young drivers – The power of peer influence

Peer passengers are associated with risky driving behaviour and increased collision rate in young drivers, but the mechanism by which young drivers are influenced by their peers is not well understood. Here we report two studies that explore the effect of peer influence on young drivers. The first explored the relationship between susceptibility to peer influence and young drivers’ engagement in risky driving behaviour. 163 young drivers completed self-report measures of risky driving behaviour and susceptibility to different forms of peer influence. Results showed that young drivers who were influenced by their peers to attain social prestige and through peers intervening in their decisions committed more driving violations. The second study sought to utilise the susceptibility of young drivers to peer influence by using peers to design and deliver a safety intervention, following the ‘U in the Driver Seat’ model from the US. When compared to a traditional fear appeal and a control, the peer intervention group reported safer attitudes and intentions to drive safely at follow-up. Together these studies provide insight into how peers influence young drivers’ risky behaviour, and support the notion of using peer education tools in young driver safety interventions.     

Using physiological and behavioral measurements in a picture-based road hazard perception experiment to classify risky and safe drivers

Every year, a considerable number of people got injured or even lost their lives in road traffic accidents. To decrease the number of fatalities and injuries, researchers are seeking methods to identify and restrain drivers before the happening of actual traffic accidents, who possess dangerous driving behaviors and may cause road traffic accidents. Such methods are usually exploited to decide drivers’ fitness to drive—an indicator to describe whether they are fit for driving. The aim of this study is to measure drivers’ physiological and behavioral responses to road hazards and to extract features from measurements for further classification of risky and safe drivers. 42 drivers participated in a picture-based road hazard perception experiment, where electroencephalography (EEG), electrodermal activity (EDA), behavioral responses to road hazards, multidimensional driving style inventory (MDSI) questionnaire, and demographic information were recorded. Results indicated that 5 specific physiological features regarding to road hazard perception showed significant differences between risky and safe drivers. Subsequently, participants were classified into risky or safe drivers group by applying only the 5 features. 81.82% and 77.78% accuracy of classification were attained for risky and safe drivers, respectively. It was evidenced that using physiological and behavioral responses to evaluate drivers’ road hazard perception might be utilized as a tool to measure drivers’ fitness to drive. For further studies, improvements to future experiment design were discussed.     

Understanding and modelling risky driving behaviour on high-speed corridors

This study explores the relationships among various factors influencing risky driving behaviours, particularly on high-speed corridors (expressways). A total of 546 samples are collected from licenced drivers through an online survey. Exploratory factor analysis confirms the four-factor solution and the same is verified using confirmatory factor analysis. These factors are individual aberrant driving behaviour (violations and errors), risky driving behaviour performed by surrounding vehicles and dangerous manoeuvres due to prevailing road environment. Structural equation modelling is used to establish the relationships amongst the aforementioned factors. The results of the study describe that observed risky driving behaviour on expressways is mostly affected by drivers’ individual aberrant driving (γ = 0.62) followed by risky driving behaviour performed by surrounding vehicles (γ = 0.39) and least affected by the road environment (γ = 0.36). The individual driving behaviour is mostly affected by violations (γ = 0.47) followed by errors (γ = 0.38). Furthermore, differences in Driving Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) scales are analysed with respect to the demographic variables. Results suggest that male and young drivers report more violations than female and older drivers, respectively, however, female drivers are more error prone than male drivers. The findings of the study can be useful to identify the potential road safety countermeasures to improve the driving style as well as the driving environment.     

“I would have lost the respect of my friends and family if they knew I had bent the road rules”: Parents,peers, and the perilous behaviour of young drivers

Young novice drivers are at considerable risk of injury on the road. Their behaviour appears vulnerable to the social influence of their parents and friends. The nature and mechanisms of parent and peer influence on young novice driver (16–25 years) behaviour was explored via small group interviews (n = 21) and two surveys (n1 = 1170, n2 = 390) to inform more effective young driver countermeasures. Parental and peer influence occurred in pre-Licence, Learner, and Provisional (intermediate) periods. Pre-Licence and unsupervised Learner drivers reported their parents were less likely to punish risky driving (e.g., speeding). These drivers were more likely to imitate their parents and reported their parents were also risky drivers. Young novice drivers who experienced or expected social punishments from peers, including ‘being told off’ for risky driving, reported less riskiness. Conversely drivers who experienced or expected social rewards such as being ‘cheered on’ by friends – who were also more risky drivers – reported more risky driving including crashes and offences. Interventions enhancing positive influence and curtailing negative influence may improve road safety outcomes not only for young novice drivers, but for all persons who share the road with them. Parent-specific interventions warrant further development and evaluation including: modelling safe driving behaviour by parents; active monitoring of driving during novice licensure; and sharing the family vehicle during the intermediate phase. Peer-targeted interventions including modelling of safe driving behaviour and attitudes; minimisation of social reinforcement and promotion of social sanctions for risky driving also need further development and evaluation.     

A Go/No-go approach to uncovering implicit attitudes towards safe and risky driving

Self-report measures of driving-related attitudes and beliefs miss potentially important precursors of driving behaviour, namely, automatic and implicit thought processes. The present study used an adapted Go/No-go Association Task to measure implicit thought without relying on the participants’ self-reports. Implicit attitudes towards safe and risky driving were measured in 53 Danish drivers (31 female, 22 male). Further, we explored the relationship between implicit attitudes towards risky and safe driving, and self-reported driving behaviour and skills. The results suggest that implicit attitudes towards driving behaviour can be measured reliably with the Go/No-go Association Task. Also, the results suggest that implicit attitudes towards safe driving and risky driving, respectively, may be separable constructs, and might thus stem from different cognitive processes. Finally, implicit attitudes were significantly related to self-reported driving behaviour and skills for male (but not female) drivers. Pending future research with larger sample sizes, the difference between implicit attitudes towards safe versus risky driving that we observed may contribute to a greater theoretical understanding of the causes of safe and risky driving.     

Characteristics of college students who text while driving: Do their perceptions of a significant other influence their decisions?

IntroductionTexting while driving is a significant risk factor for automobile collisions. The use of cell phones is prevalent among young people and commonly reported when they drive.MethodA web-based survey of 861 college student drivers determined how texting was associated with other forms of risky driving, perceptions of risk, and their driving and texting interactions with a significant other.ResultsTexting drivers were more likely to engage in other risky driving behaviors, perceived less risk in texting and driving, felt more immune to traffic risks, and had friends who text and drive. Logistic regression analyses showed that even after adjusting for risky driving behaviors and perceived risk, texting drivers were significantly more likely to do so if they saw their significant other text and drive.ConclusionsTraffic safety campaigns need to address important social influences on this behavior.     

Modeling social rejection,physiological arousal,and peer influence on risky driving among adolescents and young adults

Peer passengers are a significant risk factor for young drivers to experience adverse driving outcomes. However, few studies have manipulated social evaluation contexts and individual susceptibilities to peer influence, such as physiological arousal, to measure effects on driving. The current study explored whether social evaluation affects driving outcomes and if the type of evaluation affects perception of peer norms. Young drivers (N = 75) were randomized to control, social acceptance, or social rejection conditions and observed risky or risk-averse driving norms. Results indicated that peer passengers and peer driving norms, regardless of the social-evaluative context, affected variability in driving outcomes, particularly in intersections. Physiological arousal and perceptions of social acceptance also predicted more variability in driving outcomes. These findings suggest that passengers increase irregular driving patterns, perhaps due to passengers distracting young drivers from road conditions. Further, social acceptance increases the strength of the relationship between the presence of peer passengers and inconsistent driving patterns, indicating that social rewards may precede risky behavior more often than social threats do.     

The influence of the frequency of cannabis use and of the five impulsivity traits on risky driving behaviors among young drivers

Concerns about road safety are at the forefront of discussions given the recent legalization of cannabis in many areas. Some studies have demonstrated that the frequency of cannabis use is a significant predictor of risky driving among young drivers. However, it is difficult to isolate the specific contribution of substance use from the influence of certain individual personality traits such impulsivity. Indeed, impulsivity traits (i.e., positive urgency, negative urgency, lack of premeditation, lack of perseverance, sensation seeking) are also correlated with risky driving. The present study examined the effect of the frequency of cannabis use on risky driving while taking into account the effect of five impulsivity traits. A community sample of 209 young drivers (aged 17–25 years) completed self-report questionnaires about their road behaviors, their cannabis use, and their impulsivity traits. The results showed that the frequency of cannabis use was significantly associated with risky driving beyond the five impulsivity traits measured. Positive urgency was the only impulsivity trait that remained significantly associated with risky driving once all covariates were entered into the model. Moreover, the frequency of cannabis use acted as a mediator in the relationship between sensation seeking and risky driving.     

Perceived risk vs actual driving performance during distracted driving: A comparative analysis of phone use and other secondary distractions

The present study attempts to explore the association of drivers’ risk perception towards phone usage as well as other everyday distractions (operating a music player and eating during driving), and their driving performance observed during these distracted conditions. For this purpose, driving simulator experiments were conducted with 90 participants to collect their driving performance data and a questionnaire was conducted to obtain their basic details along with their risk perceptions. Firstly, the driving performance was divided into clusters using hierarchical clustering and the clustered subgroups were compared for crash and non-crash cases to identify the groups having significant performance degradation. Based on this comparison, the driving performance subgroups were then divided into the following crash risk probabilities: High risk, Moderate risk and Low risk. Further, the associations of perceived risk with these performance subgroups and other potential factors were analyzed using association rules mining technique. Most of the drivers (72.06%) reported texting as an extremely risky task. But, surprisingly none of them considered conversation as an extremely risky task. However, in case of conversation, it was found that even though the professional drivers reported the task to be not at all risky, the observed crash risk was high for them (S = 5.21%, C = 67.86%), indicating an underestimation of the associated risk by the drivers. Similarly, the results revealed that for music player and eating tasks, drivers reported the distracting tasks to be less risky, but, in some instances, their driving performance was associated with higher chances of crash occurrence. Many interesting associations of risk perception and driving performance with respect to demographic and driving characteristics were also obtained. The findings can be useful while designing the awareness programs related to distracted driving with an aim to reduce such practices.     

Risky driving and lapses on the road: An exploration on self-regulatory dysfunction in Australian drivers

Self-regulatory ability has been linked to a) the tendency to engage in risky behaviours, and b) the ability to focus attention. This study investigated the relationships between metacognitions, emotion regulation difficulties, risky driving behaviours, and attentional lapses on the road, among an online sample of Australian drivers (N = 255). Firstly, group comparisons showed that although females reported greater self-regulatory dysfunction, males reported a higher frequency of risky driving behaviours. Alternatively, older drivers reported being better self-regulators, and less-frequent risky driving behaviours and attentional lapses on the road. Secondly, correlations demonstrated that metacognitions were associated with difficulties in regulating emotions, the engagement of risky driving behaviours, and the quantity of attentional lapses experienced on the road. Emotion regulation difficulties and risky driving behaviours were also shown to be positively related to the frequency of attentional lapses. Structural equation modelling confirmed a hierarchical model in predicting attentional lapses, with self-regulatory components representing higher-order factors over risky behavioural components. Finally, metacognitions demonstrated mediative effects toward the relationship between prior speeding experiences and future intentions to speed. This study has provided preliminary evidence for the application of metacognitions in the engagement of risky driving behaviours, and therefore the potential for informing future interventions.     

The influence of sensitivity to reward and punishment, propensity for sensation seeking, depression, and anxiety on the risky behaviour of novice drivers: a path model

Young novice drivers are significantly more likely to be killed or injured in car crashes than older, experienced drivers. Graduated driver licensing (GDL), which allows the novice to gain driving experience under less-risky circumstances, has resulted in reduced crash incidence; however, the driver's psychological traits are ignored. This paper explores the relationships between gender, age, anxiety, depression, sensitivity to reward and punishment, sensation-seeking propensity, and risky driving. Participants were 761 young drivers aged 17-24 (M=19.00, SD=1.56) with a Provisional (intermediate) driver's licence who completed an online survey comprising socio-demographic questions, the Impulsive Sensation Seeking Scale, Kessler's Psychological Distress Scale, the Sensitivity to Punishment and Sensitivity to Reward Questionnaire, and the Behaviour of Young Novice Drivers Scale. Path analysis revealed depression, reward sensitivity, and sensation-seeking propensity predicted the self-reported risky behaviour of the young novice drivers. Gender was a moderator; and the anxiety level of female drivers also influenced their risky driving. Interventions do not directly consider the role of rewards and sensation seeking, or the young person's mental health. An approach that does take these variables into account may contribute to improved road safety outcomes for both young and older road users.     

Investigating the influence of time pressure on overtaking maneuvers and crash risk

The research conducted on overtaking maneuver for evaluating drivers’ safety showed adverse effects of urgency on driving performance and decision making. Therefore, a driving simulator study was designed to examine driving performance of the drivers and its implication on overtaking and crash probabilities under increasing time pressure conditions. Eighty-eight participants data were analyzed in the current study. Three different time pressure conditions: No Time Pressure (NTP), Low Time Pressure (LTP), and High Time Pressure (HTP) were considered for analyzing driving performance of the drivers while executing overtaking maneuvers. The driving performance was assessed using minimum time-to-line crossing and coefficient of variation in speed to dissect the safety margin adopted by the drivers while overtaking the lead vehicle. Further, minimum time-to-line crossing and coefficient of variation in speed were considered as explanatory variables to investigate their influence on overtaking and crash probabilities. Parametric survival analysis and Generalized Linear Mixed Models (GLMM) were used to assess the driving performance, overtaking and crash probabilities. The parametric survival analysis showed that minimum time-to-line crossing reduced by 36.7% and 63.8% in LTP and HTP driving conditions, respectively. The GLMM results revealed that coefficient of variation in speed increased by 3.437% in HTP (no significant effect in LTP) as compared to NTP driving conditions. Further, the GLMM results showed that overtaking and crash probabilities decreased with increment in minimum time-to-line crossing and coefficient of variation in speed values. Additionally, it was observed that male drivers took risky decisions than female drivers. Nevertheless, the comparative analysis revealed that male drivers were less prone to crashes than female drivers. Overall, it can be inferred that the drivers take risky decisions with increment in time pressure to complete the driving task, even at the expense of their own safety which exposed them to high likelihood of crashes.     

Rewards decrease risky decisions for adolescent drivers: Implications for crash prevention

Motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are a major contributor to adolescent mortality. Adolescent drivers are more likely to make risky decisions in the presence of peers. However, rewards have also been shown to improve decision making in adolescence. Our goal was to determine if peer observation and reward effects on decision-making were dependent upon adolescent driving styles.Twenty-four healthy adolescents played a driving game in a 2 (no peer; peer) × 2 (no rewards; rewards) within-subjects experiment. Driving styles were measured by self-report.Rewards favoring safe choices reduced risky decision making, but this effect was especially robust for adolescents with driving styles that increase risk of MVCs (i.e., dangerous, fast, angry, or distracted styles). Findings suggest that rewards for safe driving can be an effective mechanism for reducing MVCs, especially for the most at-risk drivers, if they can be made appetizing to adolescents.     

Adaptation of the safe driving climate among friends scale in Chinese drivers and its associations with risky driving behaviours

The present study aimed to adapt the Safe Driving Climate among Friends Scale (SDCaF) to Chinese drivers and to examine its reliability and validity. Three hundred and sixty drivers aged from 18 to 24 years old were asked to complete the SDCaF and the Risky Driving Behaviour Scale. A confirmatory factor analysis (n = 360) was conducted to examine the factorial structure of the SDCaF. The validity of the scale was then evaluated by examining the associations between the SDCaF factors, risky driving behaviours and traffic violations. The CFA results showed that the model fit of the Chinese version of the scale (SDCaF-C) was acceptable. Second, the SDCaF-C factors were weakly or moderately correlated with speeding, self-assertiveness and rule violations. Third, significant gender differences were found for the variables of friend pressure and communication, with male drivers scoring higher than female drivers. Moreover, drivers who had traffic violations in the past year scored higher on friend pressure and lower on both communication and shared commitment to safe driving compared to those who had not had traffic violations. The findings supported the psychological properties of the SDCaF-C and highlighted the importance of concerning the effects of safe diving climate among friends on young drivers’ risky driving behaviours.     

Is all high-risk behaviour premeditated? A qualitative exploratory approach to the self-regulation of habitual and risky driving behaviours

The majority of research surrounding the intervention of risky driving behaviours has operated on the notion that offending behaviour is intentional, leading to a defined theoretical approach on deterrence. This study aimed to investigate the motivations, regulatory behaviours and resisting beliefs that contribute to the occurrence of risky driving behaviours, from the perspective that some behaviour may be unintentional and habitual by nature. An online sample of Australian drivers (N = 46) were recruited to complete a qualitative phone interview regarding their perceptions of risky driving behaviours. Thematic analysis revealed that firstly, speeding and the use of technology while driving (i.e., distraction) were the most commonly reported risky driving habits. Speeding in particular appeared to be both habitual and unintentional, whereas phone use while driving was attributable to addiction, impulses and attitudes. Factors such as drivers’ mentality, the automaticity of the behaviour, and social norms were perceived to make habitual behaviours more difficult to change, whilst personal experiences with legal and physical consequences were perceived to increase risk perceptions and promote behavioural change. Participants also reported using cognitive reframing strategies and behaviours to increase and maintain awareness of the behaviours. Overall, this study has highlighted the resistant and multi-dimensional nature of risky driving habits, as well as the situational factors that preclude them. Based on the findings, future research may benefit by focusing efforts to understanding how habituality fits in the broader deterrence literature, and how such behaviours can be best intervened.