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Superstition, risk-taking and risk perception of accidents among South African taxi drivers

Authors :
Peltzer, Karl
Renner, Walter
Source :
Accident Analysis & Prevention. Jul2003, Vol. 35 Issue 4, p619. 5p.
Publication Year :
2003

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate taxi drivers’ superstition and risk perception of accidents as well as risk-taking in an urban area in South Africa. One hundred and thirty drivers of minibuses, so-called “taxis” were interviewed on the basis of: (1) a superstition scale; (2) a risk-taking scale; (3) a list of perceived causes of road traffic accidents. Drivers showed largely superstitious attitudes and expressed a high degree of risk-taking behavior.Superstition was positively correlated with the number of self-reported accidents the drivers had been involved in and the number of accidents they had witnessed. Path analysis revealed a direct path from superstition to accident involvement while the influence of formal education was negligible. Risk-taking was inversely correlated with driving experience and the number of accidents witnessed but not so with the number of accidents involved in. There was no clear pattern of associations between superstition and risk-taking and perceived causes of accidents. Superstition and risk-taking were slightly and inversely correlated with each other. It is concluded that superstition represents an attitude that is associated with a driver’s accident risk, and further research on superstitious attitudes among South African drivers is advocated. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
00014575
Volume :
35
Issue :
4
Database :
Academic Search Index
Journal :
Accident Analysis & Prevention
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
9601342
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0001-4575(02)00035-0