Surveys suggest that adults in the U.K. are far more likely to break traffic laws than non-traffic laws and that they do so on a more regular basis. A study is described which attempts to explain this through a consideration of drivers' attitudes towards offending on the roads. The 1,100 drivers who participated were not a random sample but a combination of people who had been involved in accidents or who had been disqualified from driving. Further data was obtained from 300 patrons in public houses who intended to drive and 129 drivers who had been stopped by the police for speeding. Four main themes that emerged on the subject of the difference between law-breaking on and off the road are discussed: social acceptability, low penalties and low risk of apprehension, enjoyment of law-breaking and lack of intended harm. It is concluded that while most drivers see traffic offending as a socially acceptable activity, not all adopt such behaviour. A particular problem of the illusion of being in control is identified but basically the degree to which offences are committed depends on the moral committment to all laws on or off the road.
Abstract