The prototype willingness model: An application to adolescent driver speeding

Determinants for Drunk Driving Recidivism-An Application of the Integrated Prototype Willingness Model

The paper applies the prototype willingness model (PWM) and incorporates components of the theory of planned behavior (TPB), along with deterrence factors, to understand the behavioral intentions, willingness, and recidivism behaviors of individuals penalized for drunk driving. It explores psychological and social factors influencing repeat offenses, focusing on attitudes, subjective norms, prototypes, and deterrence. The PWM outlines two pathways-reasoned (based on intentions) and social reactive (based on willingness). The model helps predict risky behaviors like drunk driving. Thirteen hypotheses are proposed in this study to examine how various factors, such as attitudes, subjective norms, and deterrence, influence willingness, intentions, and behavior. Surveys were conducted among individuals attending road safety classes after being penalized for drunk driving. A total of 1156 individuals participated in the survey, with 855 valid responses collected. The results indicate that behavioral willingness had a stronger impact on recidivism than intention. On the other hand, subjective norms did not significantly affect the intent to reoffend, but attitudes, deterrence, and PBC did. The findings suggest that focusing on behavioral willingness, deterrence, and educational interventions could help reduce repeat drunk driving offenses. The paper offers insights for policymakers to improve prevention strategies, by focusing on the psychological motivators of repeat offenders.

Real-world crash configurations and traffic violations among newly licensed young drivers with different route familiarity levels

OBJECTIVE

Young drivers aged 24 and below are at heightened risks of being influenced by their route familiarity levels. This study aims to compare prevalences of crash culpability, crash configurations and risky driver behaviors among newly licensed young drivers when they are driving on roads with different route familiarity levels.

METHODS

Based on the road traffic crash and violation data in Yunnan Province of China from January 2017 through December 2019, we classified drivers' different route familiarity levels by utilizing spatial distance away from residence-based method, including driving on high route familiarity (HRF) and low route familiarity (LRF) roads. Prevalence ratios were estimated using generalized estimating equation log-binomial regression models.

RESULTS

We identified 12016 newly licensed young drivers driving on HRF roads and 2189 drivers on LRF roads. Within 48 months of licensure, young drivers on LRF roads were more likely to be at fault for their motor vehicle crashes than those on HRF roads. Young drivers on LRF roads were more likely to be with failure to obey traffic control device, with failure to yield right of way, wrong way driving, backing unsafely and improper parking compared with those on HRF roads. Drivers on LRF roads were less likely to be inattentive and driving with unsafe speed and following too closely compared with those on HRF roads.

CONCLUSIONS

Several basic aspects of targeted countermeasures can be put forward. Visual impacts such as rectangular rapid-flashing beacon (RRFB) can be used in order to prevent wrong way driving on the tourist roadways. Arranging safety talks and programs in colleges and universities and technical interventions like Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) can be used to reduce young drivers' driving distraction and overconfidence. It is recommended that the driving schools can use these research findings to include in licensure program to make young drivers more aware of the various factors that expose them to crash risks so that more defensive driving may be needed under different situations, and this can also help build the graduated driving licensure (GDL) programme in China.