Media influence on perception of driving risk and behaviors of adolescents and emerging adults

The current study examined the impact of exposure to dangerous driving behaviors via media on the perception of driving risk and driving behaviors by assessing 1356 male and female college students between the ages of 17 and 25. It was hypothesized that (a) increased media exposure to dangerous driving behaviors would be related to positive attitudes regarding risky driving behaviors as well as engaging in such behaviors and (b) media exposures would be related to participant attitudes, which, in turn, would be related to participants driving behaviors. Results of hierarchical regression analyses confirmed that media exposure to dangerous driving behaviors impact attitudes regarding driving and driving behaviors, while controlling for participant age and biological sex, with movie exposure playing a greater role than exposure via video games. A Test of Joint Significance confirmed that media exposure to dangerous driving behaviors influence participants attitudes regarding driving, which, in turn, impact reported driving behaviors. Theoretical explanations are discussed.