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Spanish Young Adults' Perceptions of the Costs and Benefits of Risky Driving Behaviors

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Mandeep K. Dhami  and
Rocío García-Retamero
Mandeep K. Dhami*
Affiliation:
University of Surrey (UK)
Rocío García-Retamero
Affiliation:
University of Granada (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Mandeep K. Dhami. University of Surrey, Guildford, Surrey, GU2 7XH, UK. E-mail: m.dhami@surrey.ac.uk
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Abstract

We used an open-ended survey to elicit Spanish young adults' perceptions of the benefits and drawbacks of speeding and not wearing a seatbelt (or helmet).Around half of the sample reported past engagement in these two risky behaviors, although forecasted engagement was low. Past and forecasted risk taking were positively correlated. Participants provided more drawbacks than benefits of each risky behavior. Drawbacks typically referred to a combination of behavioral acts and social reactions (e.g., accident, punishment) that occurred during the journey. By contrast, benefits largely referred to personal effects (e.g., save time, comfort) that occurred after the journey had ended (speeding) or during the journey (not wearing a seatbelt/helmet). These findings contribute to our theoretical understanding of young adults' risk taking on the road, and to the development of road safety programs.

En un estudio en el que se ha empleado la metodología de encuestas, hemos analizado las percepciones que tienen los adultos jóvenes en España sobre los beneficios e inconvenientes derivados de la conducción de un coche (moto) a elevada velocidad y sin cinturón (casco). La mitad de nuestros participantes informaron que habían realizado estas conductas de riesgo, aunque sus predicciones sobre la realización de las mismas en el futuro eran menores. Estos informes y predicciones correlacionaban positivamente. Los adultos jóvenes, además, mencionaron más inconvenientes que ventajas derivadas de las conductas. Los inconvenientes generalmente hacían referencia a una combinación de conductas y reacciones sociales que ocurrirían durante el trayecto (por ejemplo, accidentes y sanciones). Por el contrario, los beneficios hacían referencia a consecuencias personales que ocurrirían cuando el trayecto hubiera concluido o durante el mismo (por ejemplo, ahorro de tiempo y comodidad). Estos resultados contribuyen a nuestra comprensión de las conductas de riesgo de los adultos jóvenes en la carretera, y pueden favorecer el desarrollo de programas de prevención.

Keywords

Risk perceptionrisk takingspeedingseatbelt and helmet useroad safetygender differencespercepción de riesgoconducta de riesgovelocidaduso del cinturón de seguridad y del cascoseguridad vialdiferencias de género
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 15 , Issue 2 , July 2012 , pp. 638 - 647
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2012

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