Association of Environmental Risk Factors and Personality Traits With Risky Driving Behaviors in a Sample of Young Adults From Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Road traffic accidents represent a serious problem in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), with rates of such accidents far exceeding the rates in developed nations. Even so, there remains relatively little knowledge regarding the driving behaviors among Saudi Arabians. The current study sought to address this gap in the literature by examining the environmental and trait-based contributors to risky driving behaviors among male and female drivers in the KSA. To do so, a sample of college students from a large university in the KSA was analyzed. The results revealed that delinquent peers, low levels of self-control, and higher levels of driving anger were associated with involvement in risky driving behaviors for both male and female drivers. Understanding the interconnections among peers, self-control, anger, and risky driving behaviors may provide some insight into how to reduce risky driving behaviors. Focusing on ways to reduce exposure to risk factors for risky driving behaviors may be one strategy for reducing these types of driving behaviors.