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The Application of Theory of Planned Behaviours in Predicting Intentions to Speed: Roadwork Zones Versus School Zones

Received: 28 February 2022     Accepted: 23 March 2022     Published: 14 April 2022
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Abstract

Roadwork and school zones are high risk areas for workers and other vulnerable road users due to the high density of pedestrians, altered road environment and conditions in combination with unsafe behaviours of drivers. Despite a range of government and road safety stakeholder initiatives to educate and discourage illegal driving behaviours in roadwork and school zones, evidence suggests that speeding in these zones is still prevalent. In aiming to better understand illegal and risky driving behaviour in these zones, the current study utilised the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a framework to investigate driver attitudes towards speeding in both school zones and roadwork zones using a sample of 428 respondents. The results of the online study indicated that drivers have safer attitudes in relation to speeding within school zones in comparison to speeding within road work zones. Results also indicated that attitude and subjective norms were significant predictors of intention to speed in both zones. However, perceived behavioural control only significantly predicted intention to speed in school zones. This effect was not observed in roadwork zones, suggesting that different mechanisms are in play dependent on the road context. This research has addressed a key gap in the driving safety literature in gaining insight into the opinions of Australian drivers and risky driving behaviour through roadwork and school zones. The results of this research and the implications for road safety stakeholders and future initiatives are discussed. Furthermore, the implication of using the Driver Social Desirability scale in traffic safety literature is also discussed.

Published in Journal of Health and Environmental Research (Volume 8, Issue 2)
DOI 10.11648/j.jher.20220802.11
Page(s) 61-69
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2022. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Speeding, Work Zones, School Zones, Theory of Planned Behaviour, Driving Attitudes, Driving Intentions, Driver Social Desirability

References
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Cite This Article
  • APA Style

    Darren Wishart, Klaire Somoray, Patrick Egan. (2022). The Application of Theory of Planned Behaviours in Predicting Intentions to Speed: Roadwork Zones Versus School Zones. Journal of Health and Environmental Research, 8(2), 61-69. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20220802.11

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    Darren Wishart; Klaire Somoray; Patrick Egan. The Application of Theory of Planned Behaviours in Predicting Intentions to Speed: Roadwork Zones Versus School Zones. J. Health Environ. Res. 2022, 8(2), 61-69. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20220802.11

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    AMA Style

    Darren Wishart, Klaire Somoray, Patrick Egan. The Application of Theory of Planned Behaviours in Predicting Intentions to Speed: Roadwork Zones Versus School Zones. J Health Environ Res. 2022;8(2):61-69. doi: 10.11648/j.jher.20220802.11

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jher.20220802.11,
      author = {Darren Wishart and Klaire Somoray and Patrick Egan},
      title = {The Application of Theory of Planned Behaviours in Predicting Intentions to Speed: Roadwork Zones Versus School Zones},
      journal = {Journal of Health and Environmental Research},
      volume = {8},
      number = {2},
      pages = {61-69},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jher.20220802.11},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20220802.11},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jher.20220802.11},
      abstract = {Roadwork and school zones are high risk areas for workers and other vulnerable road users due to the high density of pedestrians, altered road environment and conditions in combination with unsafe behaviours of drivers. Despite a range of government and road safety stakeholder initiatives to educate and discourage illegal driving behaviours in roadwork and school zones, evidence suggests that speeding in these zones is still prevalent. In aiming to better understand illegal and risky driving behaviour in these zones, the current study utilised the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a framework to investigate driver attitudes towards speeding in both school zones and roadwork zones using a sample of 428 respondents. The results of the online study indicated that drivers have safer attitudes in relation to speeding within school zones in comparison to speeding within road work zones. Results also indicated that attitude and subjective norms were significant predictors of intention to speed in both zones. However, perceived behavioural control only significantly predicted intention to speed in school zones. This effect was not observed in roadwork zones, suggesting that different mechanisms are in play dependent on the road context. This research has addressed a key gap in the driving safety literature in gaining insight into the opinions of Australian drivers and risky driving behaviour through roadwork and school zones. The results of this research and the implications for road safety stakeholders and future initiatives are discussed. Furthermore, the implication of using the Driver Social Desirability scale in traffic safety literature is also discussed.},
     year = {2022}
    }
    

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    T1  - The Application of Theory of Planned Behaviours in Predicting Intentions to Speed: Roadwork Zones Versus School Zones
    AU  - Darren Wishart
    AU  - Klaire Somoray
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    DO  - 10.11648/j.jher.20220802.11
    T2  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
    JF  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
    JO  - Journal of Health and Environmental Research
    SP  - 61
    EP  - 69
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2472-3592
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jher.20220802.11
    AB  - Roadwork and school zones are high risk areas for workers and other vulnerable road users due to the high density of pedestrians, altered road environment and conditions in combination with unsafe behaviours of drivers. Despite a range of government and road safety stakeholder initiatives to educate and discourage illegal driving behaviours in roadwork and school zones, evidence suggests that speeding in these zones is still prevalent. In aiming to better understand illegal and risky driving behaviour in these zones, the current study utilised the Theory of Planned Behaviour as a framework to investigate driver attitudes towards speeding in both school zones and roadwork zones using a sample of 428 respondents. The results of the online study indicated that drivers have safer attitudes in relation to speeding within school zones in comparison to speeding within road work zones. Results also indicated that attitude and subjective norms were significant predictors of intention to speed in both zones. However, perceived behavioural control only significantly predicted intention to speed in school zones. This effect was not observed in roadwork zones, suggesting that different mechanisms are in play dependent on the road context. This research has addressed a key gap in the driving safety literature in gaining insight into the opinions of Australian drivers and risky driving behaviour through roadwork and school zones. The results of this research and the implications for road safety stakeholders and future initiatives are discussed. Furthermore, the implication of using the Driver Social Desirability scale in traffic safety literature is also discussed.
    VL  - 8
    IS  - 2
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Author Information
  • School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia

  • College of Healthcare Sciences, Division of Tropical Health & Medicine, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia

  • School of Applied Psychology, Griffith University, Brisbane, Australia

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