The family climate for road safety scale in young Chinese drivers: An analysis of reliability and validity

Abstract

Since the original version of the Family Climate for Road Safety Scale (FCRSS) was released in 2013, many studies have used this scale to measure young drivers' perception of family value for safe driving in countries around the world. The goals of this paper were to adapt the FCRSS to Chinese culture and language, examine its relationships to sociodemographic characteristics and self-reported traffic accidents, and compare young Chinese drivers' perceptions of Family Climate for Road Safety (FCRS) to those reported by young drivers from other countries. A sample of 864 young Chinese drivers participated in this study and completed a four-part questionnaire: FCRSS, Reckless Driving Habits Scale (RDHS), DULA Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI), and sociodemographic characteristics and traffic accidents. A total of four valuable conclusions were drawn by analyzing these data. Firstly, a 7-factor 54-item Chinese version of the FCRSS had acceptable reliability and validity. Secondly, significant gender, age, educational level, and driving experience differences in the perception of the FCRS were found. The drivers who scored higher on the perception of the FCRS were female, younger, better-educated, and less experienced in driving. Thirdly, young drivers who were prone to traffic accidents showed lower levels of perception of the FCRS. Fourthly, the propensity for perception of the FCRS in China was different from that reported by young drivers in most other countries. These findings showed that the Chinese version of the FCRSS is an instrument with practical usefulness and real-world significance.