Fast and furious: A neglected issue in health promotion among young drivers

Oscar Oviedo‐Trespalacios; Bridie Scott‐Parker · 2019 · Crossref

DOI: 10.1002/hpja.223

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Summary

This study addresses the under-researched intersection of driver mood and risky driving behaviors among young drivers, a demographic identified as having high rates of road traffic injuries. While previous research has established that emotional states impair driving performance, there is a lack of scholarly investigation into how mood specifically influences risky behaviors, particularly in low- and middle-income countries. The authors aim to quantify the prevalence of driving while influenced by mood, identify high-risk driver groups, and determine associations between mood and specific risky driving actions. The researchers employed a cross-sectional design involving 660 young drivers aged 17–25 from Australia (34.7%) and Colombia (65.3%). Participants completed the Behaviour of Young Novice Drivers Scale (BYNDS), a validated instrument measuring various driving behaviors. Data analysis utilized cluster analysis to categorize drivers into "high risk" and "low risk" groups based on their self-reported frequency of driving while influenced by mood. Subsequently, hierarchical segmentation analysis using the QUEST algorithm was applied to identify which specific risky behaviors predicted membership in the high-risk mood-influenced group. The results revealed that nearly half of the participants (46.7%) belonged to the "high risk" cluster, reporting frequent engagement in driving while influenced by negative moods such as anger or frustration. No significant differences were found between the clusters regarding age, sex, or country. The segmentation analysis identified three key predictors of high-frequency mood-influenced driving: driving while tired, speeding excessively around corners, and exceeding the speed limit by more than 20 km/h. Specifically, drivers who reported frequently driving while tired or speeding significantly were much more likely to report that their driving style was influenced by their mood. The study concludes that driver mood is a pervasive, neglected issue in health promotion for young drivers, inextricably linked to high-risk behaviors like speeding and fatigued driving that increase crash risk and reduce survivability. The authors argue that current interventions, such as Graduated Driver Licensing, fail to address mood management. They recommend developing strategies to minimize exposure to driving while affected by negative mood, including mood management skills training for adolescents and the potential use of technology to recognize affective cues. The findings suggest that mood-related risky driving is a general issue across different cultures, necessitating international focus in injury prevention programs.

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• affect mood
• novice drivers
• passenger effects
• sex gender

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• Empirical Findings: observational prevalence
• Theoretical Contribution: theory or model