Traffic locus of control scale - Romanian version: Psychometric properties and relations to the driver's personality, risk perception, and driving behavior

- We developed a 41-item Romanian scale to measure traffic locus of control.
- Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses revealed five robust factors.
- The instrument includes a Religiosity factor and a Desirability response scale.
- Construct validity is supported by 6 personality factors and 7 driving styles.
- We identified two high risk clusters for men and one for women.

The first aim of this research was to develop a valid and reliable tool for measuring traffic locus of control among Romanian drivers (T-LOC-RO). Second, we also wanted to assess the construct validity of the scale, as well as the relation with personality variables (honesty-humility, emotionality, extraversion, agreeableness, openness, conscientiousness), with specific traffic variables (personal driving style, sensation seeking in traffic situations, risk perception, risky behavior) and with two traffic outcomes (number of offences and produced accidents). Third, we proposed to identify subtypes of drivers based on their locus of control and the above mentioned variables. Two studies were conducted. In study 1, we assessed the factorial adequacy of the T-LOC-RO, as well as the relations with socio-demographic variables, in two different samples (N = 1140, N = 1139, respectively). Study 2 (N = 1907) tested the last two objectives. The results of the two studies supported the validity and reliability of this culture-specific version of the T-LOC-RO. In comparison to a previous version, the T-LOC-RO version addresses a supplementary dimension concerning religiosity as an external attribution that God can convey protection against accidents. Moreover, based on a cluster analysis, we identified high risk categories of drivers, corresponding to individuals with a medium and high external locus of control, as well as with a low level of internal locus of control. The results are discussed from the perspective of their implications for traffic behavior and accident involvement.