The role of control in risk perception on rural roads

Starkey, Nicola J.; Charlton, Samuel G. · 2020 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2020.105573

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Summary

This study investigates how the level of control a participant has over a vehicle influences their subjective perception of risk on rural roads. Previous research indicated that risk ratings varied depending on the methodology used (e.g., on-road driving versus viewing photos or videos), potentially due to differences in perceived control or cognitive load. Motivated by the "illusion of control" theory—which suggests individuals believe they can influence outcomes when in control—the authors aimed to determine if actual control over driving affects risk perception and whether video-based assessments accurately reflect on-road experiences. The researchers employed a multiple-methods design involving three groups: Drivers (n=13) who drove a 180km rural route, Passengers (n=10) who rode as passengers in the same vehicle driven by a research assistant, and Observers (n=14) who viewed video footage of the route filmed from the driver’s perspective. All participants provided verbal risk ratings (1–10 scale) at 13 predetermined locations characterized by varying objective risks, measured by Road Protection Scores. One week later, all participants reviewed the video footage in a laboratory setting to justify their ratings, allowing researchers to analyze the specific road features and driver behaviors cited as influencing risk perceptions. The results demonstrated that Observers provided significantly higher risk ratings than Drivers, while Passengers fell in between, though the difference between Passengers and Drivers was only marginally significant. This disparity was most pronounced on straight roads with good visibility, where Observers rated risk significantly higher than Drivers. In contrast, no significant group differences were found on more challenging roads featuring curves, hills, or narrow lanes. Additionally, Observers provided twice as many comments justifying their ratings compared to Drivers and Passengers. While all groups primarily cited road features (e.g., curves, visibility) as risk factors, Observers uniquely commented on lane position, and Passengers focused more on traffic conditions. Notably, Drivers and Passengers rated challenging roads as higher risk than straight roads, whereas Observers’ ratings did not differ significantly between road types. The findings suggest that actual control and on-road experience significantly shape risk perception, supporting the notion that drivers adjust behavior to maintain a preferred risk level, thereby lowering their subjective sense of danger. The study highlights a critical limitation in using video-based tasks to assess driver risk perception, as Observers consistently overestimated risk compared to those with control. This discrepancy implies that video-based assessments may not accurately predict on-road speed choices or safety interventions, particularly on straight roads where the illusion of control is less mitigated by high task demands.

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Topics

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• risk taking
• decision making risk perception
• passenger effects
• urban rural setting
• perceptual countermeasures
• induced exposure

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: crash risk outcomes
• Theoretical Contribution: theory or model, computational model