Targeting young driver emotions can reduce their cellphone distractions

• Published in: Accident analysis and prevention 2023-11, Vol.192, p.107202-107202, Article 107202
• Main Authors: Hoseinzadeh Nooshabadi, Mehdi, Vasquez, Holland M., Donmez, Birsen
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Distracted driving; Distraction mitigation; Mobile phone use; Theory of planned behavior; Young drivers
• ISSN: 0001-4575; 1879-2057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2023.107202

•We studied how guilt, shame and fear predict intention to use a phone while driving.•We surveyed a sample of young drivers (18 to 25) as a high-risk driver group.•An extended TPB model that included emotions outperformed the standard TPB model.•We compared road signs with emotion-evoking messages with those without.•Increased emotions across signs correlated with decreased engagement intention. This study sought to evaluate the relationship between young drivers’ intention to engage in cellphone distractions while driving and their emotions towards the associated risks. First, we assessed whether the emotions of guilt, shame, and fear are associated with young drivers’ intention to engage in cellphone distractions, through an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) model. Second, we evaluated whether road signs that may evoke these negative emotions reduce cellphone use intentions among young drivers. An online survey was conducted with young drivers (18 to 25 years old) from Ontario, Canada. 403 responses were collected, of which, 99 responses were used to evaluate the first objective and all 403 responses were used to evaluate the second objective. Anticipating feelings of guilt, shame, and fear negatively predicted the intention to engage in cellphone distractions, above and beyond the standard TPB constructs (i.e., attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control). When prompted with potentially emotion-evoking road signs (children crossing, my mom/dad works here), an increase in anticipated feelings of these emotions corresponded with lower intention to engage in cellphone distractions. Countermeasures that target young driver emotions toward distracted driving risks may be effective in reducing their distraction engagement. Future studies in more controlled environments can investigate causal relationships between emotions and distracted driving among young drivers.