Effectiveness of pre-driver education programme for high school students: Application of Theory of Planned Behaviour on road risk taking behaviour

Lithuania is repeatedly rated among road safety outsiders having some of the worst statistical indicators. Traffic collisions are the leading cause of injuries and mortality of youth (5–25 years old) in Lithuania, age group 15–24 contributing the most. Based on literature review we concluded that theoretically rationalized educational road safety intervention could raise Lithuanian road safety standards in the future. Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) was employed to design and assess the effectiveness of pre-driver road safety education programme on changing behaviour components predicting risk taking behaviour of late teenage students. 11 graduate students (N = 302) from 10 schools took part in a Quasi-experimental study, 6 schools were assigned to experimental group, 4 to control. Experimental group have received an educational 4 h intervention, after a baseline questionnaire assignment. 5 components of road risk taking behaviour, based on Health Belief Model and Theory of Planned Behaviour constructs were measured in 2 week's time interval as indicators of effectiveness of the programme. Students from the experimental group had more negative attitude towards road risk taking behaviour, they were less willing to engage in such behaviour and they perceived their peers as less tolerant to this behaviour after the intervention. No significant changes in these components, but negative change in perceived threat, have occurred in the control group. Results showed that the programme was effective in changing behaviour components that predict students’ risk taking on the road.