Situational Action Theory to Understand Risky Driving Behaviours in Beach Environments

Anderson, Levi; Love, Steven · 2024 · Crossref

DOI: 10.33492/jrs-d-24-2-2311315

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Summary

This study investigates risky driving behaviors—specifically speeding, drink driving, and drug driving—in beach environments using Situational Action Theory (SAT). While extensive research exists on road safety in urban and highway settings, there is a scarcity of literature addressing offending in off-road conditions like beaches, which present unique challenges such as unstable surfaces, limited infrastructure, and distinct social dynamics. The authors aimed to explore how personal characteristics (e.g., morals, self-control) and situational factors (e.g., peer influence, perceived risk) interact to influence driver decision-making in these distinct contexts. The researchers conducted a survey with 42 drivers aged 17–60 at Teewah and Noosa Northshore beaches in Queensland. Participants were recruited face-to-face during weekend and holiday periods. The survey instrument was designed according to the SAT framework, measuring demographics, morality, self-control, and specific perceptions of risk, law appropriateness, and likelihood of offending for speeding, drink driving, and drug driving. Crucially, these measures were assessed in both beach and road contexts to allow for comparative analysis. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired sample t-tests to compare beach versus road perceptions, and cross-tabulations to identify motivational factors for beach-based offending. Results indicated that drivers generally perceived beach driving as less risky than road driving. Specifically, participants reported a significantly higher likelihood of drug driving on the beach compared to the road, whereas speeding was reported as more likely on the road. Drivers perceived lower risks of injury, apprehension, and social judgment for all three offenses when driving on the beach. Correlational analyses revealed that beliefs about driving behaviors were aligned between beach and road environments, suggesting that personal factors play a consistent role across contexts. However, cross-tabulations identified that the dominant motivator for risky driving on the beach was a perceived lower level of social judgment, with drivers believing others were not concerned about such behaviors. The study concludes that SAT is a useful framework for understanding risky driving in distinct environments like beaches, highlighting the interaction between personal predispositions and situational pressures. The findings suggest that interventions targeting beach safety should focus on increasing the perceived certainty of apprehension and addressing the social norms that minimize the perceived severity of offending in these settings. The authors recommend incorporating qualitative research methods to further elucidate the decision-making processes underlying these behaviors.

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• risk taking
• sensation seeking
• urban rural setting

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• Theoretical Contribution: theory or model