Time perspective, risk perception on the road, and risky driving behavior

The relation between time perspective and risky behaviors has been well documented in previous studies, although less is known about the relation between time perspective and risky driving. The aim of this present study is to assess the link among time perspectives (i.e., past positive, past negative, present fatalist, present hedonistic, future), risk perception in traffic, and risky driving behaviors. A sample of 263 drivers (Mage = 29.04, SD = 11.13) participated in this study and completed scales that measure time perspective, risk perception, risky driving, and a demographic questionnaire. The participants reporting higher levels of past negative and present fatalistic time perspectives also reported higher risky driving behaviors, and those with high level of future time perspective indicated low risky driving behavior. Further, the participants with higher levels of future time perspective reported higher scores on risk perception. Furthermore, risk perception mediated the relation of past negative and future time perspectives with risky driving behavior. The results are discussed from the perspective of their theoretical and practical implications for road traffic safety.