Factors influencing young drivers’ risk perceptions and speeding behaviour

Research focusing on young novice drivers' risk perceptions has shown that inexperienced drivers underestimate the risks associated with a range of driving situations. Personality factors are an important influence on both risk perceptions and driving behaviour. The study investigated the strength of relationship between specific personality factors, risk perceptions, and speeding behaviour among young, mainly inexperienced drivers. One-hundred and fifty-nine students aged between 17 and 20 completed an online questionnaire assessing five facets of personality, four components of risk perception, and a self-report measure of speeding behaviour. Using structural equation modeling, 39 per cent of the variance in young drivers' speeding was accounted for by excitement-seeking, altruism, their aversion to risk taking, and their own likelihood of having a crash. The influences of excitement-seeking and altruism are partly mediated by their aversion to risk taking, while the influence of altruism on speeding is also partly mediated by their own likelihood of having a crash. Further consideration should be given to road safety interventions that strengthen young drivers' appreciation of the impact of their actions on others through positive reinforcement of altruistic norms. (a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E215375.

• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/0734525516
• Authors:
  • MACHIN, M A
  • SANKEY, K S
• Publication Date: 2006-10

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 10P
• Monograph Title: Australasian Road Safety Research, Policing and Education Conference 2006, Holiday Inn, Surfers Paradise, Gold Coast, Wednesday 25th October - Friday 27 October 2006
• Serial:
  • AUSTRALASIAN ROAD SAFETY RESEARCH POLICING EDUCATION CONFERENCE, 2006, SURFERS PARADISE, QUEENSLAND, AUSTRALIA
  • Publisher: ABLE VIDEO AND MULTIMEDIA

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Attitudes; Conferences; Crimes; Personality; Questionnaires; Recently qualified drivers; Risk taking; Safety; Speed
• ITRD Terms: 2267: Attitude (psychol); 8525: Conference; 9147: Interview; 1516: Offence; 2258: Personality; 2259: Risk taking; 1665: Safety; 5408: Speed
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; I83: Accidents and the Human Factor;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01060804
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• ISBN: 0734525516
• Files: ITRD
• Created Date: Sep 10 2007 1:10PM