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167451-1 Report Abstract

Driver Perceptions of Risk: Potential Approaches to Improving Driver Safety

Laura L. Higgins and Jason Beesinger, Texas A&M University, February 2006, 51 pp. (167451-1)

This research study examined driver perceptions of the reasons for and the risks associated with certain aggressive or negligent driving behaviors, including illegal turns, disregard of stoplights or stop signs, and improper lane usage. A literature search, interviews with DPS officers and “defensive driving” instructors, driver focus groups, and driver surveys in two Texas cities were employed to determine drivers’ perceptions of the risks of selected traffic violations, factors that encourage or discourage unsafe driving behaviors, and how a change in perceived risk may affect future driver behavior.

Keywords: Driver Education, Driver Safety, Traffic Safety, Traffic Laws, Defensive Driving

ENTIRE REPORT (Adobe Acrobat File – 327 KB)