Motorcyclists I -Helmet Usage And Speeding Behavior From A Psychological Perspective 1

Abstract: This study investigates psychological factors that might contribute to motorcyclists' risky behaviors. Ordinal logistic regression analyses are run, with the behaviors of speeding and negligence of helmet usage used as dependant variables. Psychological variables chosen for analysis are derived from previous studies related to human behaviors. Questionnaire forms were randomly distributed to motorcyclists in selected areas in Malaysia. The sample included 575 respondents, who ranged in age from 15 to 69 years old. The results from this study show that psychological factors play a role in motorcyclists' tendencies to exhibit risky behaviors. Logistic regression analyses found that perception of others' behaviors was the strongest predictor of motorcyclists' neglect of using a helmet and that attitude towards speeding was the strongest predictor of speeding. Other psychological factors such as perceived behavior control, fear of being caught, moral obligation, perceived danger and previous experience are also examined in this study