Self-determined motivation and driving styles as dependent on the perception of traffic climate by Turkish and Israeli drivers

The human factor is a prominent cause of traffic accidents. The formation of an individual’s driving style has been found to be influenced by a variety of variables. In this study, the goal is to examine the moderating effects of the country (Israel and Türkiye) and the traffic climate on the relationship between the motivation for safe driving and driving styles. A Background Information Form, a Safe Driving Self-Regulation Questionnaire (SD-SRQ), the Traffic Climate Scale (TCS), and the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI) were used as instruments; data was collected from 471 Israeli and 400 Turkish participants. The contribution of the interaction between the motivation for safe driving and the traffic culture/climate in Israel and Türkiye on driving styles was examined by a moderated moderation analysis. The analysis showed that the two countries are differently impacted by traffic climate and safe driving motivation. The study’s key finding is that while emotionally demanding traffic and autonomous forms of motivation and amotivation have an impact on the patient-careful driving style in Türkiye, traffic climate which is emotionally demanding and requires abilities and skills, together with controlled forms of motivation and amotivation have an impact on dissociative and anxious driving styles in Israel. Suggestions for further research as well as potential practical implications are discussed.