Evaluation of traffic violation behaviors and the causal attribution of accidents in Chile

Traffic accidents constitute the fifth leading cause of death in Chile. This study measures attitudes toward 12 violation behaviors and compares causal attributions of accidents by participants versus experts. A survey containing 41 items was administered to 216 different drivers and pedestrians in the city of santiago, assessing a judgment of seriousness for a group of violation behaviors and asking about accident causes. An analysis of variance for the index of seriousness according to sex, age, and type of driver resulted In significance (F = 2.463, p < .014), indicating differences in judgments produced by men and women, young and adult people, and different types of drivers. Women showed a higher level of response to the index of seriousness than men; the same was obtained for pedestrians, who scored higher than drivers. Participants considered that driving under the effects of alcohol and excessive speed were the most important causes of accidents, which was opposite to the causes indicated by experts.