In the light of increasing traffic-related problems, a questionnaire study (N = 195) was used to examine the underlying motives of the willingness and decisions for restrictions or, respectively, promotion of motor vehicle safety. In order to actively realize prospective traffic concepts, the willingness of citizens to support these concepts and to demonstrate the corresponding mobility behaviour are of paramount importance. Therefore, in addition to the self-reported choice of transportation, demands for reduction or, respectively, promotion of motor vehicle traffic constitute the criterion variables. Regression analyses show meaningful differences in the prediction of traffic-related prohibition demands and mobility decisions: While morally relevant cognitive and emotional judgments are relevant for prohibitive demands (like, for example, attributions of responsibility, responsibility-related emotions, value decisions which compete with environmental protection), the perceived situational conditions can primarily explain the variance in the actual choice of transportation. Burdens, based on traffic-related environmental damage and accident risk, contribute neither to decisions of choice of transportation nor to expression of the prohibitive demands. Driving enjoyment is, on the other hand, a strong variance predictor for both classes of criteria. These results replicate and expand upon previous results and can be used for the development of projective traffic concepts and programs. (A)
Abstract