An examination of driving speed as an example of a choice made between competing behaviour alternatives

Abstract

A functional account of road user behaviour suggests that driver decision making can be viewed as an example of a choice made between competing behaviour alternatives. The research described in this report aimed to demonstrate that drivers descriptions about the conditions that are necessary and sufficient for speed choice reflected drivers actual speed choice. The first study, conducted on students at the Upper Hutt Central Institute of Technology, asked subjects to identify the reasons for and consequences of either a choice to speed or a choice to drive at the posted speed limit. Results indicated that knowledge of antecedents and consequences, as measured by the number of responses emitted, did not discriminate faster from slower drivers. A second study classified responses based on whether they identified an antecedent cue or a consequence event. Results were consistent with the reasoning of Fuller (1992). A choice to speed reflected poor self control (a consequence trap) whilst a choice to drive at the speed limit reflected self control. A third study conducted on undergraduate psychology students failed to describe driver speed choice based on the matching law. It was concluded that explanation of speed choice based on consequence perception alone is insufficient as drivers use information from antecedents cues in choice. Implications for the study of road user behaviour and possible intervention strategies are discussed.