The role of control in risk perception on rural roads

Starkey, Nicola J.; Charlton, Samuel G.

The role of control in risk perception on rural roads

dc.contributor.author	Starkey, Nicola J.	en_NZ
dc.contributor.author	Charlton, Samuel G.	en_NZ
dc.date.accessioned	2020-06-16T22:09:12Z
dc.date.available	2020	en_NZ
dc.date.available	2020-06-16T22:09:12Z
dc.date.issued	2020	en_NZ
dc.description.abstract	Risk perception plays an important role in driver behaviour, particularly for speed choice. Risk perception studies use a range of techniques from on-road data collection to ratings of still photos, however participants’ratings differ depending on the study methodology, possibly due to their perception of control. To explore this we conducted a multiple methods study to investigate drivers’perceptions of risk on rural roads. One group of participants drove (Drivers, n = 13) a 180 km route along rural roads (accompanied by a research assistant) and provided verbal risk ratings at thirteen locations of interest. A second group (Passengers, n = 10) provided ratings at the same points when travelling as a passenger in a vehicle (driven by a research assistant). The third group (Observers, n = 14) were shown videos of the same rural roads (filmed from the drivers’perspective) and also provided risk ratings at the same locations. A week later participants were invited to the laboratory to review the video footage and comment on factors that contributed to the risk ratings. Overall, the Observers gave the highest risk ratings and Drivers the lowest. The Observers also provided twice the number of comments to justify their risk rating compared to the other two groups. The results suggest that control, and on-road experience play a significant role in how perceptions of driving risk are formed and the degree of risk experienced.These findings also bring into question the accuracy of using video-based tasks to assess drivers’ risk perception (and speed choice), particularly if the findings are used to inform on-road safety interventions.
dc.format.mimetype	application/pdf
dc.identifier.citation	Starkey, N. J., & Charlton, S. G. (2020). The role of control in risk perception on rural roads. Accident Analysis & Prevention, 142, 105573–105573. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aap.2020.105573	en
dc.identifier.doi	10.1016/j.aap.2020.105573	en_NZ
dc.identifier.issn	0001-4575	en_NZ
dc.identifier.uri	https://hdl.handle.net/10289/13634
dc.language.iso	en	en_NZ
dc.publisher	Elsevier	en_NZ
dc.relation.isPartOf	Accident Analysis & Prevention	en_NZ
dc.rights	This is an author's accepted version of an article published in Accident Analysis & Prevention. © 2020 Elsevier
dc.subject	Illusion of control
dc.subject	Passenger
dc.subject	On-road
dc.subject	Video-based
dc.subject	Perceived risk
dc.subject	Speed
dc.title	The role of control in risk perception on rural roads	en_NZ
dc.type	Journal Article
pubs.begin-page	105573
pubs.elements-id	253587
pubs.end-page	105573
pubs.organisational-group	/Waikato
pubs.organisational-group	/Waikato/2024 PBRF
pubs.organisational-group	/Waikato/ALPSS
pubs.organisational-group	/Waikato/ALPSS/2024 PBRF - DASL
pubs.organisational-group	/Waikato/ALPSS/SPSY
pubs.organisational-group	/Waikato/ALPSS/SPSY/2024 PBRF - SPSY
pubs.publication-status	Accepted	en_NZ
pubs.user.info	Starkey, Nicola (nstarkey@waikato.ac.nz)
pubs.user.info	Charlton, Samuel (samiam@waikato.ac.nz)
pubs.volume	142	en_NZ
uow.identifier.article-no	105573
uow.verification.status	verified