Relations between traffic safety attitudes and self-reported risky driving in a sample of young traffic offenders

Abstract

The aim of this study is to evaluate relations between traffic safety attitudes and self-reported risky driving in a sample of young traffic offenders. 268 young traffic offenders participated in the study as volunteers. All subjects of this study were licensed to drive vehicle (B category), however they have lost driving license because of serious traffic violations: 151 young drivers have lost driving license because of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI) and 117 young drivers – because of speeding. Traffic safety attitudes were measured by Driver attitude towards traffic safety violations and risk taking behaviour scale. Self-reported risky driving (driving errors and intentional violations) were measured by The Driver behaviour questionnaire (DBQ). The results indicated the frequency of driving errors and intentional violations as well as traffic safety attitudes do not differ in young traffic offenders, who violated traffic rules by DUI and in young traffic offenders, who violated traffic rules by speeding. However, more positive attitudes towards traffic violations and speeding are related to higher number of intentional violations in both groups of young traffic offenders. Moreover, more positive attitudes towards careless driving of others are related to both measures of risky driving (driving errors and intentional violations), but only for those young drivers who violated traffic rules by speeding. The results can be concluded that different attitudes towards traffic safety can be important factors related to the different aspects of risky driving in a group of young traffic offenders