Can the traffic locus of control (T-LOC) scale be successfully used to predict Swedish drivers' speeding behaviour?

WARNER H. W., Ozkan T., Lajunen T.

ACCIDENT ANALYSIS AND PREVENTION, vol.42, no.4, pp.1113-1117, 2010 (SSCI) identifier identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 42 Issue: 4
  • Publication Date: 2010
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.aap.2009.12.025
  • Journal Name: ACCIDENT ANALYSIS AND PREVENTION
  • Journal Indexes: Social Sciences Citation Index (SSCI), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.1113-1117
  • Keywords: Locus of control, T-LOC, Internal, External, Speeding, ACCIDENT INVOLVEMENT
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The first aim of the present study was to examine the factor structure of the traffic locus of control (T-LOC) scale in a Swedish sample of drivers. The second aim was to examine if this scale can be used to predict drivers' speeding behaviour. A sample of Swedish car owners (N = 223) completed a questionnaire including questions based on the traffic locus of control (T-LOC) scale as well as questions about their speeding behaviour. The results showed a five factor solution including own skills, own behaviour, other drivers, vehicle/environment and fate. Own behaviour and vehicle/environment could be used to predict drivers' speeding behaviour on roads with a 90 km/h speed limit while none of the variables included in the traffic locus of control (T-LOC) scale could be used to predict drivers' speeding behaviour on roads with a 50 km/h speed limit. On 90 km/h roads own behaviour was positively related to drivers' speeding behaviour while vehicle/environment was negatively related to their speeding behaviour. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.