Ethnic groups differences in regard to social networks, daily activity patterns, and driving behavior

- Social influences on driving and travel behavior are under-theorized.
- We examined the effect of social networks on driving and travel behavior.
- Social network variables were associated with specific travel behaviors.
- Social network variables were associated with speeding violations for some groups.
- The results stress the need to integrate driving behavior and travel behavior models.

Research on the impact of the social environment on travel behavior and driving behavior has proliferated. Yet, the individual-level mechanisms involved remain under-theorized and understudied. Studies usually focus on how drivers are influenced directly through the presence of passengers or indirectly through the norms of relevant social groups. The current study introduces a novel dimension by examining the impact of interpersonal ties on daily activity patterns and driving behavior. We analyze the results of a large telephone survey carried out in Northern Israel (n = 517). Respondents include Arabs (58%) and Jews (42%), roughly corresponding to the demographic composition of Northern Israel. The results show that individuals with interpersonal ties characterized with a higher frequency of contacts were less likely to engage in leisure trips outside their community, thus reducing their exposure to high-risk driving environments. We found an inverse association between social interactions and speeding violations, although it was only significant for the Arab group, and inverse association between speeding violations and internal leisure trips for the whole sample. Married persons reported significantly higher social interactions than unmarried persons. Arab women have significantly more social interactions than Arab men, and older Arabs reported higher social interactions than younger Arabs, but no gender or age differences were found within the Jewish group. Finally, men drove for longer periods while women tended to have more complex trips. These results stress the need to make explicit the links between driving behavior models and travel behavior models using social variables.