Determinants of speeding among new generations of car drivers from the Arabian Peninsula. An investigation based among Omani drivers using the theory of planned behaviour

• Published in: PloS one 2019-12, Vol.14 (12), p.e0226441-e0226441
• Main Authors: Boissin, Constance, Al Maniri, Abdullah Ali, Al-Azri, Ali Sulieman, Hasselberg, Marie, Laflamme, Lucie
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acceleration; Accidents, Traffic - statistics & numerical data; Adolescent; Adult; Age; Applied Behavior Analysis; Attitude; Automobile drivers; Automobile Driving - statistics & numerical data; Behavior; Biology and Life Sciences; Computer and Information Sciences; Crashes; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data collection; Drivers; Drivers' licenses; Driving; Driving ability; Engineering and Technology; Health aspects; Humans; Investigations; Male; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Medicine and Health Sciences; Men; Middle Aged; Mortality; Motor vehicle drivers; Norms; Oman; Oman - epidemiology; People and Places; Physical Sciences; Psychological Theory; Public health; Questionnaires; Regression analysis; Research and Analysis Methods; Risk analysis; Risk Factors; Risk-Taking; Saudi Arabia - epidemiology; Security management; Social Sciences; Socioeconomic Factors; Speed limits; Students; Studies; Surveys; Surveys and Questionnaires; Traffic; Traffic accidents; Vehicles; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1932-6203; 1932-6203
• DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0226441

In high-income countries of the Arabian Peninsula, including the Sultanate of Oman, motorization has been extremely rapid. As a result, road traffic crashes are by far the highest cause of premature mortality, and speeding is an acknowledged key risk factor. Theory-based interventions are needed to target prevention of this unsafe practice. This study sheds light on determinants of speeding among new generations of Omani drivers applying the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). A questionnaire covering all five main constructs of the TPB was first contextualized and administered to two target groups: male drivers of all ages (n = 1107) approached in person when renewing their driving license and university students drivers (men and women) reached through internet contact (n = 655). Multiple, stepwise linear regression analyses were used to explore factors associated with speeding. Results indicate that driving fast and not respecting the posted speed limits was common in both groups of drivers, although rates were higher among students; 41.8% reported driving a bit faster than other drivers and 24.1% faster than the posted speed limit compared with 31.4% and 14.2% in male drivers of all ages. In both groups the TPB model predicted to a limited extent the determinants of speeding behaviour. However, the intention to speed was associated with a negative attitude towards the respect of rules for men of all ages (β = -0.30 (p