Higher sense of power, less dangerous driving behaviors: perceived control as mediator and subjective social status as moderator

To promote road safety, it is essential to determine the various self-perception factors influencing dangerous driving behaviors and explore the inner mechanisms. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sense of power, perceived control, and subjective social status on dangerous driving behaviors in a sample of drivers located in China. A total of 426 drivers completed the questionnaires on sense of power, perceived control, and subjective social status and the driver behavior questionnaire (DBQ). The results of path analysis showed that (1) sense of power positively predicted perceived control and negatively predicted dangerous driving behaviors; (2) perceived control negatively predicted errors and lapses of DBQ and mediated the relationship between them and sense of power; and (3) subjective social status moderated the effect of sense of power on perceived control. The present study expands the scope of the influencing factors of dangerous driving behaviors while providing practical guidance in the domain of safe driving.