It has been argued that the most important component in accident causation is the human factor. Some of these acts are said to be deliberate, which underscores the need to understand the motives behind such actions. In order to prevent some errors of the past, i.e. research using poorly defined methods, etc., this report advocates a model based on a sound theory and draws from experiences made outside the field of traffic safety research. The report reviews the literature on attitude change and outline variables which motivate change, including fear appeal. This is followed by a discussion of the effects social and motivational factors have on driver behaviours and in which way our understanding would benefit from using a social psychological framework. The final part of the report takes a critical look at the methods used to measure attitudes, and asks if they really reflect true attitudes and, if not, how they could be improved. (A)
Abstract