Predicting risky driving maneuvers and driving in risky conditions by adolescents

This study tested a set of adolescent attributes, social experiences, and beliefs as predictors of risky driving maneuvers and driving in risky conditions. Newly licensed adolescents ( n = 138, M age = 17.07 years, 55 % female) reported on driving risk factors, driving exposure, parents' restrictions, risky driving maneuvers, and driving in risky conditions. Controlling for age, driving exposure and parents' restrictions, more risky driving maneuvers, both within the first six months of driving and after one year of driving experience, were linked with higher levels of sensation seeking, lower levels of self-control, and especially with stronger peer models of risky driving. The risk factors did not collectively predict driving in risky conditions. The risk factors are associated with more risky driving maneuvers and driving violations during the earliest stages of driving, when the behaviors are likely to be most risky because drivers are also inexperienced and more likely to make errors.