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THE SPEEDING DRIVER: WHO, HOW AND WHY?

SPEEDING BEHAVIOUR AND CRASH INVOLVMENT

10.48 This section examines the relation between some of the measures of speeding behaviour developed in this Report and driver crash-involvement. Specifically it looks at whether those drivers who had been involved in an RTA in the previous 3 years - 17% of the male drivers, 14% of the female drivers - differed in current speeding behaviours compared to those drivers who had not been crash-involved recently:

• whether their normal speed exceeded the speed limit on the seven photographs of road types
• whether they were more likely to drive faster under certain journey scenarios
• whether they were more likely to undertake speeding and other driving infringements and
• whether they were more likely to have been stopped by the police for speeding or flashed by a speed camera.

10.49 Are there differences between those who have and have not been accident-involved recently in the number of types of road on which they 'normally' speed? Table 10.28 shows, separately for male and female drivers, the percentage who had been crash-involved of those who were objective speeders - normal speed exceeding the speed limit - on few, some or many of the seven road types.

Table 10.28: Percentage of 'objective speeders' accident-involved in previous three years by number of road types out of seven on which their normal speed exceeds the speed limit, separately for male and female drivers

10.50 For the male drivers there was a clear and statistically significant elevation in the proportions who had been crash-involved. Of those who were objective speeders on no or one road type 11% (1 in 9) had been involved in an RTA as a driver in the previous three years. This rose to 20% (1 in 5) of those who 'normally' exceed the speed limit on two to four of the seven road types, reaching 26% (1 in 4) for those speed on five or more types of road.

10.51 However, this pattern was not found amongst female drivers, for whom the proportions did not differ significantly. For males, the more types of road you speed on the higher the likelihood of recent (last three years) crash-involvement. For females, the number of road types on which you speed is unrelated to your recent crash history.

10.52 Are there differences between those who have crashed and those who have not crashed in the past three years in whether they drive faster, slower or the same in reaction to journey exigencies? Table 10.29 shows, separately for male and female drivers, on which items those who had and who had not crashed differ on t-test, here arranged from those scenarios most to those least likely to provoke 'driving faster'.

Table 10.29: Journey scenarios on which drivers who have and have not been accident-involved in the previous three years differ, separately for males and females

10.53 Again the pattern for male and female drivers proved quite different. Males who had crashed were more likely to indicate that they drove faster when running behind schedule, when late for an appointment, when in fast moving traffic and when feeling stressed. Females who had crashed in the past three years were more likely than females who had not crashed to speed up when listening to music and to not slow down with older people in the car. For males, but not for females, those who had crashed indicated, on average, a significantly higher number of scenarios in which they would drive faster (Mn for crash-involved males 2.58: Mn for non crash-involved males 2.01).

10.54 Which adverse driving behaviours distinguish those drivers with and those without a recent crash history? Table 10.30 shows for the 14 driving infringements the mean score for those who had and who had not been RTA-involved in the previous three years, separately for male and female drivers. It also shows the significance (p value) for t-tests between the means.

Table 10.30: Mean values of frequency of commission of driving infringements for those who had and had not been accident-involved in the previous 3 years, separately for male and female drivers

10.55 Again, more behaviours distinguished between male drivers who had and had not crashed than differentiated female drivers who had and had not crashed. Male drivers who had been accident-involved in the previous three years more often drove at 90mph in a 70mph zone, more often drove at 80mph in a 70mph zone, more often drove at 40mph in a 30mph zone, and more often speed up to get through traffic lights that were changing to red - amber gambling.

10.56 Female drivers who had been crash-involved drove more often at 40mph in a 30mph zone and more often at 50mph in a 30mph zone. For male drivers excess and excessive speed on the motorway, excess speed in built-up areas and amber gambling is related to their recent crash history. For female drivers speeding, both excess and excessive, in built-up areas is related to recent crash history.

10.57 Are there differences between drivers who have and have not been stopped by the police for speeding or caught on speed cameras in levels of recent accident-involvement? Table 10.31 shows for male drivers, and Table 10.32 for female drivers, the proportions of those who have been caught speeding - stopped or flashed - who have also been involved in an RTA in the previous 3 years.

Table 10.31: Recent accident-involvement of male drivers who have and have not been caught speeding

Table 10.32: Recent accident-involvement of female drivers who have and have not been caught speeding

10.58 For both male and female drivers significantly more drivers who have been caught speeding have also been involved as a driver in a road traffic accident in the previous 3 years. The figures almost double: for males from 12% to 21%; for females from 11% to 21%. For both male and female Scottish motorists, those who have been caught speeding are almost twice as likely to have a recent crash history.

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