Risk Factors Associated with Speeding Offences Among Young Western Australian Drivers

Aims: The over involvement of drivers aged 17-24 years in crashes and the characteristics of those crashes are well documented. Foremost among the identified characteristics is the involvement of speed. This paper investigates the effect of various driver attributes on the risk of incurring a Traffic Infringement Notice for speeding in the first 12 months of driving.

Methods: Seventeen year old newly licensed drivers (n=1277) in Perth, Western Australia, were recruited and followed over the first 12 months of driving. Various driver attributes were assessed for their effect on the likelihood of a driver receiving a Traffic Infringement Notice for speeding.

Results: At 12 months post-licensing, 27% (n=347) of the drivers had incurred a total of 476 Traffic Infringement Notices for speeding. Speeding infringements accounted for 57.5% of all infringement notices incurred in the first 12 months of licensing. Multivariate analysis indicates that the risk of incurring an infringement notice for speeding is highest for male drivers and drivers who were found to be high on measures of risk taking and driver confidence-adventurousness, and low on the practice of positive health-related behaviours.

Conclusion: The results show that gender and driver attributes of self-perception of driving style, risk taking, and lifestyle are associated with the risk of incurring a Traffic Infringement Notice for speeding in the first 12 months of driving. Further research will be undertaken to investigate the robustness of these risk factors over time.