Driving locus of control and driving behaviors: Inducing change through driver training

Locus of control perceptions have been used to predict driving safety as a stable, dispositional variable. Based on social learning theory, this study tested whether a defensive driving training program coupled with observer feedback could influence domain-specific locus of control beliefs regarding controllability of accidents and therefore impact driving behaviors. Over a 5-week period, 112 individuals’ driving locus of control and driving behaviors were assessed two times, before and after a defensive driving training program and observer feedback. Drivers experienced significant changes in their driving locus of control perceptions. Specifically, drivers reported significantly lower externality and higher internality after training as compared to before training. The changes in driving locus of control predicted an increase in safe driving behaviors. In addition, pretraining motivation to learn predicted a decrease in externality, whereas pretraining self-efficacy predicted the increase in internality. The results indicate that driving locus of control can be influenced by training and observer feedback, and the changes in driving locus of control can predict change in driving behaviors. Findings of the study point to the potential for organizations to enhance driving safety by influencing drivers’ locus of control perceptions.

► We examine change in driver locus of control after driver training and feedback.
► Drivers reported higher internality and lower externality after training.
► Changes in internality/externality independently predicted change in driving behavior.
► Training motivation and pretraining self-efficacy predicted changes in driver LOC.