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This document summarises the findings from qualitative research exploring the views of young people (aged 16 to 25) towards road safety. The research was undertaken in 2008 to help inform the development of the new Scottish Road Safety Strategy. Young people - particularly young male drivers - are significantly more likely to be involved in a car accident. Given the high casualty rates among young people, the Scottish Government wished to ensure that the views of young people were taken into account in developing the new Road Safety Strategy.
Main Findings
- Young drivers rarely thought of the risks to themselves - either of being in an accident or getting caught driving dangerously. They focused strongly on risks for passengers and other road users. Very few participants were aware that young drivers were more likely to be involved in a car accident.
- Participants had very high levels of trust in their friends and siblings as drivers, believing that they would always drive safely to make sure that the passengers were safe. But participant experiences demonstrate that young drivers and passengers are often putting themselves in risky situations.
- Participants were very unsure about the legal limit for drinking and driving. They trusted their close friends if they said they were safe to drive, and were much more likely to travel with a driver who had been drinking if they too had been drinking.
- Almost all participants had examples of either travelling in a car with a driver who had been drinking, or of friends driving while over the limit. Driving under the influence of drugs was generally seen as unacceptable. No-one said that they had taken drugs and driven.
- Participants felt that speeding was very common and acceptable, particularly on quiet roads and motorways.
- Most participants said that they wore seatbelts all the time. But a minority said that they sometimes did not, particularly as passengers.
- Participants suggested they would intervene in the dangerous driving behaviour of friends, particularly if they could offer a practical solution, but were not sure that just saying something would have an impact.
- Participants strongly resisted any suggestion of greater restrictions on younger drivers. They argued that these would be discriminatory and restrictive, and were not sure why young drivers - and not all new drivers - should be targeted. There was particularly strong resistance to measures restricting how young people use their cars, including limits on driving at night or carrying passengers. Participants did, however, spontaneously suggest some potential measures to increase the safety of all new drivers, including making the Pass Plus certificate mandatory.
Background
The Scottish Government is currently developing a strategy for improving road safety over the next ten years.
Young adults - and particularly young male drivers - are significantly more at risk of involvement in a road accident (Scottish Government, 2008). Given the high casualty rates among young people, the Scottish Government wanted to ensure that the views and experiences of young people, particularly young men, were taken into account.
This qualitative research study was commissioned to contribute to the growing evidence base on young people and road safety and inform the new Scottish Road Safety Strategy.
Aims and Objectives
The aim of the research was to explore the views of young people aged 16 to 25 on key road safety issues - as passengers, potential drivers and drivers.
The specific objectives were to:
- gauge what rights and responsibilities young people perceived that they had as road users;
- learn about young people's concerns regarding road safety;
- explore what might motivate young people to be safer road users; and
- find out how much young people were aware of risk on our roads.
Methodology
The research involved six focus groups with young people aged 16 to 19 and 20 to 25 - four with young men and two with young women.
Three groups were held in Glasgow and three in the Scottish Borders. A total of 54 young people participated in the research.
Research participants were identified through recruitment in public places including streets, sports centres and shopping centres; working with local organisations including equalities groups; and networking through young people's clubs and groups.
A matrix was used to ensure a mix of young people took part in the study - taking account of driving status, employment status, disability and ethnic origin.
Innovative participatory methods were used to conduct the focus groups to ensure that the participants found them engaging and interesting, while also extracting rich qualitative information about views and experiences.
Changing Opinions
Many participants changed their minds and contradicted themselves throughout the group - particularly the 16 to 19 year olds. Often, participants said that they had not thought about these issues in depth before, and were still developing their opinions.
Importantly, some participants expressed certain views but then reported behaviour and experiences that were at odds with these. This was particularly the case in relation to the issues of drinking and driving and peer pressure. Addressing this gap between attitudes and behaviour is a key challenge, and may require further research.
Perception of Risk
Young drivers rarely thought of the risks to themselves - either of being in an accident or getting caught driving dangerously. They focused strongly on risks for passengers and other road users.
Very few participants seemed to be aware that young drivers were more likely to be involved in a car accident. There appears to be a prevalent attitude that serious accident and injury is something that happens to other people.
Trust in the Driver
Participants had very high levels of trust in their close friends and siblings as drivers, strongly believing that they would always drive safely to make sure that the passengers were safe.
Participants who were drivers stated that the biggest factor discouraging dangerous driving behaviour is risk of hurting friends or family, and the guilt related to this.
But in reality, participant experiences demonstrated that young drivers and passengers were often putting themselves in risky situations. Trust was often misplaced - with many examples of friends driving dangerously. This high level of trust appears to result in young people being put in more risky situations with close friends than with those they know less well.
Experience of Drink and Drug Driving
Participants were very unsure about the legal limit for drinking and driving. Only one participant said that he had definitely driven while over the limit. However, other comments suggested that other participants had driven while over or close to the limit without realising it.
There were variations in views on whether it was okay to drink anything and drive. Some participants said that it was okay to have a small amount to drink - if you were sure that you could still drive safely.
Almost all participants had examples of travelling with a driver who had been drinking, or of friends who had driven while over the alcohol limit. Participants were much more likely to travel with someone who was over the limit if they too had been drinking. They trusted their close friends if they said they were safe to drive.
Driving under the influence of drugs was generally seen as unacceptable. No-one said that they had taken drugs and driven. But four young men gave examples of friends who had done so - one in a one-off situation, and the others on a regular basis. In some cases, participants appeared to lose confidence talking about the experience of drugs and driving because of the reactions of other participants.
Speeding and Seatbelt Wearing
Participants felt that speeding was very common and acceptable, particularly on quiet roads and motorways. Motorways were seen as more 'predictable' - straighter, less stopping and starting, clear rules for overtaking, entering and exiting the roads, and fewer pedestrians and other hazards. Some young men mentioned that speeding was more acceptable if you know the roads. Being able to 'handle' the speed was a common theme.
Most participants said that they wore seatbelts all the time. But in most of the discussion groups there were one or two participants who said that they did not always wear their seatbelt. Passengers (and non-drivers) were least likely to wear their seatbelts, particularly in the back seat. Participants were also influenced by the length of the journey, how many passengers there were, how busy the roads were, who they were with, and whether they had drunk alcohol.
Influences on Behaviour
Participants had very varied views on the factors that influenced how they behaved as a driver and passenger. Factors identified included friends and passengers, risk of getting caught, loud music, weather, other drivers and parents. Parents were only an influence on driving behaviour when actually in the car.
A key influence was alcohol and drugs. There was general agreement - among drivers and non-drivers - that alcohol made you "pumped up, cocky and over confident" and that this meant you were likely to drive in an unsafe way. Participants thought that in general alcohol affected young people more than older people, but that this varied depending on the individual.
Peer Intervention
The research explored if and how young people say they would try to prevent friends driving in a dangerous manner. Participants were most likely to suggest they would intervene in dangerous driving behaviour if they could offer a practical solution - like taking the phone call for the driver, or getting a taxi instead of driving.
The main reason participants said they would intervene was because they would feel a sense of guilt if an accident occurred and they had not tried to stop it. But a number of participants mentioned that simply saying something about dangerous driving was unlikely to have an impact. Participants also mentioned that it was much easier for drivers to influence passenger behaviour, than vice versa.
Age Based Driving Restrictions
There was widespread recognition that drivers generally get better and safer with more experience. But, participants strongly resisted any suggestion of greater restrictions on younger drivers. There was particularly strong resistance to measures restricting how young people use their cars, including limits on driving at night or carrying passengers.
Participants argued that age based restrictions would be discriminatory and restrictive, and were not sure why young drivers - and not all new drivers - should be targeted. There was some concern that if laws were too strict then young people would lose confidence in the system - and begin to break laws deliberately.
Only one participant (in a younger male group) mentioned the reasons behind suggestions for restricting younger drivers - due to higher accident rates.
But, there was much more acceptance of stricter rules based on driving experience.
Some participants spontaneously suggested potential measures to increase the safety of all new drivers, including making the Pass Plus certificate mandatory or part of the driving test.
There was a strong trust in the system of testing and approving new drivers, and a feeling that the test had become more rigorous over recent years.
Extreme Experiences
In speaking to 54 young people, we found two participants (friends) with experience of stealing cars, driving without a licence, regularly taking drugs and driving, and driving uninsured. This appears to be related to the neighbourhood the young people live in, and the culture of driving behaviour that exists there.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank all of the young people who took the time to take part in this study. Everyone contributed in an enthusiastic, open and honest way, giving us a real insight into the attitudes and experiences of young people. Scottish Government (2008) Road Accidents Scotland 2007.
This document, along with "Qualitative Research with Young People: Road Safety", the full research report of the project and further information about social and policy research commissioned and published on behalf of the Scottish Government, can be viewed on the Social Research website at: www.scotland.gov.uk/socialresearch . If you have any further queries about social research, please contact us at socialresearch@scotland.gsi.gov.uk or telephone 0131 244 7560.
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