A Theory of driver motivation : the results of structured group interviews with civic and service club groups : traffic safety views of older drivers.

NHTSA · 1971 · ROSA P / Virginia Transportation Research Council (VTRC)

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Summary

This 1971 report by the Virginia Highway Research Council presents findings from the second phase of a study on driver motivation, focusing specifically on the traffic safety views of older drivers. The research was motivated by a need to identify discrepancies between the assumptions held by traffic safety administrators and the actual opinions of the driving public. While a previous phase studied high school students, this phase aimed to determine if older, more experienced drivers held different views, particularly regarding the psychological and social factors influencing driving behavior. The study sought to uncover these perspectives to inform the development of educational programs and performance systems that better align with driver realities. The methodology involved structured group interviews with approximately 300 members of civic and service clubs in the Charlottesville, Virginia area. Eleven interview sessions were conducted with groups of 20–35 subjects, including two women’s clubs. The researchers acknowledged that this sample represented a microcosm of middle-class, conventional thought rather than the general population. Interviews were tape-recorded and transcribed, using a format similar to the student interviews but modified for an adult audience. The questions covered driver motivation, restrictions on freedom of action, views on driver education, factors contributing to accidents, desired speeds, and suggestions for highway improvements. The results revealed that adults viewed automobiles primarily as the most convenient form of transportation, though driving pleasure was seen as diminishing after 6,000–8,000 miles annually, reaching zero at 40,000 miles. Participants described an "approach-avoidance conflict," where the convenience of driving interfered with its enjoyment. Restrictions on freedom were attributed to other drivers, road conditions, and inadequate highways, rather than parental or community control. Regarding safety, subjects identified inattention, speed, alcohol, and negative attitudes (such as competitiveness and discourtesy) as primary accident causes. They criticized police enforcement tactics, particularly hidden radar units, though they acknowledged radar effectively forced compliance. There was near-unanimous support for driver education, citing insurance benefits and the social importance it conveys, though subjects criticized the lack of qualified instructors and the voluntary nature of programs. Subjects also argued for minimum speed limits to address slow drivers and criticized differential speed limits for trucks and cars. The significance of the study lies in its detailed characterization of adult driver psychology, contrasting with teenage drivers who view driving as a source of excitement and privacy. The findings suggest that traffic safety campaigns often clash with driver perceptions, particularly regarding enforcement and road design. The report concludes that highway improvements should focus on eliminating three-lane roads, improving sight distances, and standardizing signage. It also proposes that driver licensing could incorporate tests to measure a driver’s ability to cope with specific conditions, potentially restricting privileges for those unable to handle complex traffic situations. The study highlights that while adults are equipment-oriented in their approach to safety, their attitudes are deeply influenced by the perceived fairness of enforcement and the practical realities of road infrastructure.

Key finding

Older drivers perceive radar and speed measurement devices as the most effective restrictive measures for enforcing speed limits, despite mixed opinions on the safety benefits of concealed police enforcement.

Methodology

other

Sample size: 300

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• rail grade crossings
• public messaging
• traffic density
• older drivers
• speed choice
• passenger effects

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

• Applied Guidance: countermeasure evaluation
• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence
• Theoretical Contribution: theory or model