WHY DRIVERS SPEED - THE SPEEDING PERCEPTION INVENTORY

This study reports initial results of a project to better understand t he factors that predispose, enable, and reinforce drivers' speeding be havior. This information is essential for successful traffic safety pr ograms. A perceptual inventory was developed and administered to a lar ge, college-age sample. High levels of internal consistency were found . Factor analysis suggested five predisposing, enabling, and reinforci ng constructs: (a) Ego-gratification; (b) Risk-taking; (c) Time pressu res; (d) Disdain of driving; and, (e) Inattention. Males agreed more s trongly than females with ego-gratification items; younger subjects ag reed more strongly with risk-taking and less strongly with time pressu res items than older subjects; and, females agreed more strongly than males with time pressures, disdain of driving, and inattention items. The perceptual inventory approach shows promise over behavioral and at titudinal self-reports, particularly when self-reported referent crite ria are difficult to obtain. Results from the inventory can be used to target traffic safety and health education programs, and can be incor porated into discussions of traffic safety policy, legislation, and en forcement. (C) 1997 National Safety Council and Elsevier Science Ltd.