The theory of planned behavior (TPB) and texting while driving behavior in college students

Abstract

Objective To examine the role of intent and other Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) constructs in predicting college students’ willingness to texting while driving (TWD). Methods This was an, cross-sectional study. Two hundred and forty-three male and female college students enrolled in the 2013–2014 academic year in the College of Health, Human Services & Nursing completed a survey on TWD. Inclusion criteria: All races and ethnicities, ≥ 18 years of age, own a cell phone, and drive a car. Results Over 70% of the sample (n = 243) reported talking on a cell phone, and sending and receiving text messages “at least a few times” while driving within the past week. However, only 27% reported being stopped by police. Of these, 22% reported being fined. Twenty-six percent reported reading or sending TWD, and having to slam on the brakes to avoid hitting another car or a pedestrian(s) as a result within the past 30 days. In all, 47% of the variance in intention to send TWD was accounted for by the full TPB model. Intention, in turn, predicted willingness to TWD. Intention also mediated the relationship between perceived behavioral control and willingness to TWD. Conclusion The role of Attitude was found to be the strongest predictor of intention. In addition, intention was found to mediate the relationship of willingness to TWD on perceived behavioral control. These findings highlight potential factors that could be targeted in behavioral change interventions seeking to prevent TWD.

Prediction of taxi drivers' safe-driving behaviors based on the theory of planned behavior: The role of habit

“…found that drivers of lower perceived behavioral control had less intention of unsafe-driving behaviors (e.g., text reading while driving). [ 36 ] The above-mentioned research findings approved the present results concerning drivers' perceived behavioral control. In a number of cases, high perceived behavioral control leads to an intention and performance of unsafe behavior.…”

“…'s research, drivers who were used to reading and writing text messages while driving tended to do so in the future much more than others. [ 36 ] In some other research by Ketphat et al ., the habit of watching sports matches showed to affect the driving speed. [ 23 ] Past behaviors showed to be a strong predictor in comparison to other factors in O'Callaghan and Nausbaum's investigation.…”

The Effects of Social Norms Among Peer Groups on Risk Behavior: A Multilevel Approach to Differentiate Perceived and Collective Norms

“…Speeding and drinking & driving are widely prevalent and the causes of a large number of fatal crashes in virtually all countries (WHO, 2015), particularly among young drivers who seek sensation (Cestac, Paran, & Delhomme, 2011;Simons-Morton et al, 2012) and have difficulties in identifying road hazards because of their lack of driving experience (Scott-Parker, Hyde, Watson, & King, 2013). Additionally, related to the rapid growth in use of mobile phones (Vorderer, Krömer, & Schneider, 2016), the use of phones while driving has become a serious threat to road safety (WHO, 2015) as it causes cognitive, manual, visual, and auditory distraction (Caird, Johnston, Willness, Asbridge, & Steel, 2014 (Cestac et al, 2011;Møller & Haustein, 2014;Simons-Morton et al, 2012), drinking & driving (Åberg, 1993;Beck, 1981;Kenney et al, 2013;Zhang, Wieczorek, & Welte, 2012), as well as texting & driving (Bazargan-Hejazi et al, 2017;Gauld, Lewis, & White, 2014;Nemme & White, 2010). However, informed by the TPB (Ajzen, 1991), previous studies have mostly focused on individuals' normative perceptions and did not consider actual collective norms 1 .…”

“…These normative perceptions are influential because the drivers identify with their peer groups and align their own behaviors in order not to be aberrant (this is the injunctive norms-based motivation of affiliation) and "to do the right thing" (Rimal & Lapinski, 2015, p. 397; motivation for complying with descriptive norms, see also Cialdini et al, 1990). Given the state of research on the influence of perceived norms on a wide range of risk behaviors (see Berkowitz (2004) for a review)among others, speeding, drinking & driving, and texting & driving (e.g., Åberg, 1993;Bazargan-Hejazi et al, 2017;Cestac et al, 2011)-, we hypothesize that perceived descriptive and injunctive norms are positively correlated with risk behavior. At the collective level, descriptive norms refer to the actual road traffic risk behavior enacted by peers and injunctive norms pertain to the peers' actual attitudes towards the risk behavior in question.…”

Evaluation of a Brief Intervention to Reduce Cell Phone Use

“…Further, the development of cell phone interventions may be useful for individuals caught repeatedly violating laws prohibiting texting and driving. The theory of planned behavior has previously been employed to better understand cell phone use [43][44][45][46]. However, these have been cross-sectional [43][44][45] or have not yet reported the randomized findings [46].…”