Risky Driving Motives and Attitudes Towards Traffic Safety Among Young Male Traffic Offenders

Abstract

Even though young traffic offenders contribute to high number of traffic violations and accidents in most countries including Lithuania, they may not be homogenous in their motivational features. This study was aimed to find out if two groups of young male traffic offenders (drunk drivers and overspeeders) differ in their motives for risky driving and attitudes towards traffic safety; and how these two psychological characteristics can predict their risky driving indicators. A cross-sectional survey using self-report questionnaire (with Motives for dangerous driving scale, Attitudes towards traffic safety, and DBQ) was carried out in 2013. The total sample included 268 young male traffic offenders (151 – drunk drivers, 117 – overspeeders; mean age 23.4). The results showed that drunk drivers and overspeeders do not differ in their risky driving indicators or attitudes towards traffic safety, but overspeeders had stronger motive for driving fast/risk taking and stronger motive of disrespect for traffic laws. Regression analysis also revealed that motive for driving fast/risk taking is the strongest predictor of self rated risky driving indicators in both groups of traffic offenders.