Center for Injury Research and Policy, The Research Institute at Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, OH, United States.
Department of Psychology, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL, United States.
J Safety Res. 2019 Feb;68:173-179. doi: 10.1016/j.jsr.2018.12.013. Epub 2018 Dec 23.
Distracted driving is a growing global epidemic, with adolescent drivers reporting frequent engagement in distracted driving behaviors. Public health initiatives and legislative efforts designed to decrease the prevalence of these unwanted driving behaviors have demonstrated small, but significant reductions in crash risk. Non-compliance is a known problem among drivers of all ages, but may be especially problematic for novice, adolescent drivers. Using a construct from the Health Belief Model, the relations between demographic factors, perceived threat to safety, and peer influences were investigated with adolescents' support for three types of distracted driving legislation regarding: (a) reading or sending text messages/emails while driving; (b) hand-held cell phone use while driving; and (c) using non-driving-related-in-vehicle (NDIV) technology while driving. Investigating adolescents' perceptions provides an opportunity to understand distracted driving enforcement and legislation.
Three hundred and seventy-nine adolescents aged 15-19 (M = 16.12, SD = 0.56) were recruited from public high schools. Demographics, perceptions, and support regarding distracted driving were assessed using self-report surveys. Statistical analyses included bivariate correlations and adjusted odds ratios to investigate influences of adolescent support for distracted driving legislation.
Female adolescents were at 2 times greater odds of supporting a law against texting/emailing while driving compared to male adolescents. Greater perceived threat to safety was associated with all three types of distracted driving legislation (aOR = 1.10, 1.33). Minimal association was found with peer influences.
Perceived threat to safety and gender were associated with legislative support in adolescents. Practical application: Interventions and public health campaigns that incorporate elements related to perceived threat may be more successful with female adolescent drivers than male adolescents. Future experimental research will help to determine what factors affect adolescents' perspectives on distracted driving to promote compliance with related legislation.
分心驾驶是一种日益严重的全球性流行病，青少年驾驶员频繁报告分心驾驶行为。旨在减少这些不良驾驶行为的发生率的公共卫生倡议和立法努力已经证明，在降低撞车风险方面，虽然效果较小，但意义重大。不遵守规定是所有年龄段驾驶员的已知问题，但对于新手青少年驾驶员来说，可能是一个特别大的问题。本研究利用健康信念模型中的一个概念，研究了人口统计学因素、对安全的感知威胁以及同伴影响与青少年对三种类型的分心驾驶立法的支持之间的关系，这三种类型的立法涉及：（a）开车时阅读或发送短信/电子邮件；（b）开车时使用手持手机；（c）开车时使用与驾驶无关的车内技术（NDIV）。研究青少年的看法为了解分心驾驶执法和立法提供了机会。
从公立高中招募了 379 名年龄在 15-19 岁的青少年（M=16.12，SD=0.56）。使用自我报告调查评估人口统计学、感知和对分心驾驶的支持。统计分析包括双变量相关性和调整后的优势比，以调查青少年对分心驾驶立法支持的影响。
与男性青少年相比，女性青少年支持禁止开车时发短信/发电子邮件的法律的可能性高 2 倍。对安全的感知威胁与所有三种类型的分心驾驶立法都相关（aOR=1.10，1.33）。与同伴影响的关联最小。
对安全的感知威胁和性别与青少年对立法的支持有关。实际应用：将与感知威胁相关的元素纳入干预措施和公共卫生运动可能对女性青少年驾驶员比男性青少年驾驶员更有效。未来的实验研究将有助于确定哪些因素影响青少年对分心驾驶的看法，以促进相关立法的遵守。
