Adaptation and validity of the traffic locus of control scale in Chinese drivers

Abstract

The aims of the present study were to adapt the traffic locus of control (T-LOC) scale to the Chinese culture and language and to examine its relationships with driving styles and traffic accidents. Six hundred forty-one drivers aged 18 to 60 years old were asked to complete the T-LOC and a validated Chinese version of the multidimensional driving style inventory. Exploratory factor analysis (N = 266) and confirmatory factor analysis (N = 375) were performed to assess the factorial structure of the T-LOC. The external validity of the T-LOC was then evaluated by examining the associations between the T-LOC and demographic variables, driving styles and traffic accidents. The results showed a four-factor structure of the T-LOC, including self, other drivers, vehicle/environment and fate. Second, self, vehicle/environment and fate were moderately or weakly correlated with risky, anxious, angry and dissociative driving styles. Moreover, the number of traffic crashes from the last year was negatively correlated with the external T-LOC factors (i.e., other drivers, vehicle/environment and fate), and other drivers and self could be used to predict traffic crashes. These findings showed that the Chinese version of the T-LOC is a reliable, valid and highly useful instrument.