Intentions of risky driving behavior: the role of values in adolescence and young adulthood

Abstract

Conclusions. Value orientation is more predictive for adolescents than for young adults in the area of risky driving intentions. Age and gender have mediating effect in these relationships. Crash rates among adolescents and young adults are higher than those of any other age group; moreover, these groups are more likely to be at fault in crashes when compared to more experienced drivers. Research show that many complex factors influence the way young people drive, still the behavior of individual drivers and developmental trends of this behavior remain a challenge in preventing efforts. Especially research results are scarce in Lithuania. In this study the focus was on value orientation in adolescence and young adulthood. In adolescence value orientation might be developed through prevention programmes and other influences as the part of identity formation process, then in young adulthood value orientation may serve as inhibiting factor of dangerous driving behavior. It was hypothesized that values are related to risky driving intentions but this relation is different for adolescent and young adult drivers. Method. A cross-sectional survey using self-report questionnaire was carried out. The total sample included 230 adolescents (14-19 years, schoolchildren) and 82 young adults (19-25 years, students). Value orientation list was developed using Rokeach’s values (1969). Intentions of risky driving were assessed with the help of five hypothetical driving scenarios, designed according to Taubman Ben-Ari, Florian, Mikulincer (1999). Results. Although value hierarchy is different for adolescents and young adults, the relationships between values and risky driving intentions are significant only in the group of adolescents. Higher levels of adolescent prosocial values lead to lower levels of risky driving intentions. Values were not related to young adults risky driving intentions, although some statistical evidence of relations were revealed in the group of young males, but not in the group of young females.