Impact of feedback content on dangerous driving behaviours based on the triangle model of responsibility

Abstract

The serious problem of road traffic accidents is in urgent need of coping strategies, among which feedback has proven to be helpful. The main purpose of this study is to explore effective feedback content and the mediating effect of drivers’ responsibility based on the triangle model of responsibility. We designed a mixed study with 3 driving scenarios (getting too close to lead vehicle, speeding, and running a yellow light) and 4 feedbacks (no feedback, feedback with only a prescription, feedback with only an event, feedback with both prescription and event) as within-subject factors and 2 driver identities (feedback without driver identity, feedback with driver identity) as a between-subjects factor. A total of 110 Chinese drivers completed this study. The results showed that providing feedback enhanced drivers’ willingness to drive safely, while the effects of feedback with different contents varied with scenario. In addition, the mediating effect of drivers’ responsibility between feedback and speeding was confirmed. This study revealed that the effectiveness of feedback would be significantly influenced by a subtle change in feedback content in different driving scenarios, suggesting the importance of tailoring feedback content according to specific situations. Additionally, we provided a possible explanation of the mechanism of feedback by verifying the mediating effect of responsibility. Our findings of effective feedback contents corresponding to specific driving scenarios could be used to design driving feedback in safety warning systems to improve the effectiveness of such systems in facilitating safe driving behaviour and reducing road traffic accidents.