Overview
The relationship between risky driving behaviour and traffic accidents is evident but the background and causality of risky behaviour is still unclear. The main project objective is to identify individual, attitudinal (attitudes, social norms, perceived behavioural control), personality (Big Five & Dark Triad) predictors of risky behaviour (risky driving style) based on structural equation modelling.
The present study attempts to integrate two paradigms in psychological research – the personality trait approach and the social – psychological approach. A quantitative model of the research based on self-reported questionnaire surveys are applied and carried out among non-professional drivers in Slovakia. We expect that the obtained results will contribute to a better understanding of the psychological mechanisms of individual, attitudinal factors that evoke risky behaviour. Recommendations for design of traffic safety campaigns are discussed as well.
Funding
Results
In the framework of the project following article was presented on the conference:
WHY DO WE AS DRIVERS VIOLATE THE TRAFFIC NORMS?
The findings in the article indicate that in explaining traffic behaviour is such
as explaining individual, national, regional differences in transport security between countries. The design and implementation of measures on the increase of traffic safety must be approached on the one hand with taking into account local specifics that shape the subject of security in a specific country, and secondly with considering of the impact of economic, social, cultural, individual and other exogenous variables in synergy, complexity and mutual conditionality.
Furthermore, it is also essential (and the results of the research are well documented) that preventive interventions only at one level (e.g. individual, psychological) in the long-term horizons do not lead to improvements and positive changes in driver behaviour in terms of safety and accident.
The project has supported the opinion of Özkana (2006) who in relation to the prevention of traffic accidents and transport safety states that it would be appropriate for the traditional preventive approach of "3E" in transport (Education,
Enforcement, Engineering) to add "Fourth E" (Economy), with the justification that, for example, economic incentives to support the purchase of various security devices,
The overall support of the "3E" could make a major contribution to the better
predictability and interpretability of the transport system.