This report presents the findings of a preliminary investigation of drivers' motivations for selected unsafe driving actions (UDAs). The general objective of the study was to develop the test methods, procedures, and materials for collecting data for determining why drivers commit UDAs. Four UDAs were the focus of study: speeding, following-too-closely, running-a-stop-sign, and pulling-in-front/turning-left-in-front-of-traffic. Standard roadside survey procedures were used to collect data. Four different questionnaires were used for each UDA. No more than nine drivers in any one group were asked the same set of questions. The results of the test program indicate that it is feasible to use roadside survey methods to collect useful data on drivers' motivations for committing the subject UDAs. The procedures used were sufficiently unobtrusive for identifying and stopping drivers committing the UDAs. Drivers who were stopped were able to explain why they had or had not committed a UDA and could provide information needed for categorizing the drivers and their driving habits. The reasons given by the drivers for their driving behavior were amenable for use in designing countermeasures aimed at preventing future UDAs. A large-scale data collection effort is recommended to NHTSA.
Abstract