Speeding or not speeding? when subjective assessment of safe, pleasurable and risky speeds determines speeding behaviour

AbstractIt is hypothesized that in a given situation speeding behaviour is determined by three subjective speed assessments: the speed perceived as the riskiest, the speed perceived as the safest, and the speed perceived as the most pleasurable. Specifically, if these assessments are high, drivers are expected to circulate faster. Such speed perceptions are also viewed as influenced by attitudes towards speed and speed limits. 177 car drivers, included 102 men and 75 women between 18 and 72 years (M = 43, SD = 21) and with a mean driving experience of 22 years (SD = 19), answered to a questionnaire about their attitudes towards speed and speed limits, the speeds they considered as the riskiest, the safest, and the most pleasurable in three different contexts, as well as their usual speed. Data analyses (ANOVA and path analyses) confirmed the influence of the three types of speed assessment on the usual speed and that the influence of attitudes on this behaviour is mediated by these three assessments. Results suggest that not only a change in attitudes and beliefs is desirable, but a concrete specification (e.g., 100 Km/h) of speeds perceived as safe, pleasurable and risky is also needed in order to reduce speeding behaviour.Keywords: speeding; speed limit; speed assessment; attitudes; risk perception.ResumenSe presume que la conduccion con exceso de velocidad esta determinada por tres evaluaciones subjetivas de la velocidad: la velocidad percibida como de mayor riesgo, la velocidad percibida como la mas segura, y la velocidad percibida como la mas placentera. En concreto, si estas evaluaciones son elevadas, se espera que los conductores circulen mas rapido. Tales percepciones de velocidad tambien se supone que estan influidas por las actitudes hacia la velocidad y los limites de velocidad. En un estudio de campo, 177 conductores de automoviles, de los que102 eran hombres y 75 mujeres, con edades comprendidas entre los 18 y 72 anos (M = 43; SD = 21) y con una experiencia media de conduccion de 22 anos (SD = 19), respondieron a un cuestionario de preguntas sobre sus actitudes hacia la velocidad y los limites de velocidad, las velocidades que consideran como la de mas riesgo, la mas segura, y la mas placentera en tres contextos diferentes, asi como su velocidad habitual de conduccion. El analisis de los datos (ANOVA y path analisis) confirmo la influencia de los tres tipos de evaluacion de la velocidad en la velocidad habitual del conduccion y que la influencia de las actitudes en esta esta mediada por estas tres evaluaciones. Estos resultados sugieren no solo la necesidad de un cambio en las actitudes y creencias generales hacia la velocidad y los limites de velocidad, sino tambien la especificacion de las velocidades concretas (v.gr., 100 Km/h) percibidas como seguras, agradables y de riesgo, con el fin de reducir el exceso de velocidad.Palabras clave: exceso de velocidad; limite de velocidad; evaluacion de la velocidad; actitudes, percepcion del riesgo.IntroductionSince the invention of the automotive, road safety has always been a major concern for governments. Among the many factors involved in road injuries, human factors are the most important. For instance, Sabey (1983) reveals that such factors are involved in 90% of road accidents and are the only factors involved in 65% of them. Two factors are specifically considered as the major cause of road injuries: Speeding and alcohol consumption. Several policies have been put in place to reduce such damaging impacts, but 1.3 million people still die annually on roads all over the world (World Health Organization, 2009). In the relationship between speeding and road fatalities, it has been established that reducing the speed of driving systematically reduces the number of road accidents (Finch, Kompfner, Lockwood, & Maycock, 1994; Salusjarvi, 1981; Taylor, Lynam, & Baruya, 2000). Consequently, one of the most important and widely adopted policies is that of speed limitations. …