Risky driving behaviour as anticipated by driver anger and attitudes

Abstract

Traffic accidents have been identified as one of the three main causes of death and disability, worldwide. Approximately 1.25 million individuals die each annually, and 20 to 50 million people are injured as a result of road traffic accidents. Research exploring factors most associated with traffic accidents has found that human (individual) factors such as risky driving, road rage and driver anger are most robustly associated with road traffic accidents. While the link between risky driving behaviour and car accidents is well documented, the underlying predictors of risky driving behaviour are less well-understood, particularly in the South African context. The present study sought to explore whether attitudes towards traffic safety and driver anger are predictors of risky driving behaviour in a sample of licenced drivers in and around various provinces of South Africa. A secondary aim was to determine whether driver anger and driving attitudes serve as predictors of risky driving behaviour in this sample. Moreover, the research included the exploration of insurance-related rewards and penalties for driving behaviours. Finally, this research sought to explore whether risky driving behaviour, age, driver anger and attitudes towards traffic safety are associated with likelihood to report a car accident over the preceding five-year period. The study planned to address these aims using a quantitative non-experimental, cross-sectional research design. A sample of adult South African drivers aged (N=171) completed a series of online questionnaires assessing driver anger(the DAS), risky driving behaviour (the DBQ), attitudes towards traffic safety (the ATTS) and other demographic variables. These participants were recruited using social media platforms, such as WhatsApp and Facebook as well as students from the University of the Witwatersrand. Various analyses were performed. A stepwise multiple regression analysis found that the strongest predictors of risky driving behaviour were driver anger, and permissive attitudes towards traffic violations, drunk driving and speeding. Age was found to be associated with risky driving. Age was also found to be associated with an increased likelihood to report a traffic accident, where the younger the driver was(18 to 29 years old) the more likely to report accident involvement, as opposed to older drivers (aged 29 to 63 years). These findings suggest that driver attitudes and driver anger are very strongly associated with risky driving practices, in this sample, and should probably be addressed in behavioural interventions aimed at reducing risky driving behaviour. The findings also suggest that age is an important factor, which should probably be incorporated in intervention strategies. Limitations of this research and directions for future research are discussed.