Beginner Driver Education · Driver Behaviour
Understanding the Influence of Others on Driving Habits
Driviology Road Safety Education Team
What this actually means for you
Drivers copy drivers. If you grew up watching a parent roll stop signs or a friend tailgate, those moves can feel normal before you ever take a lesson — and new drivers tend to imitate the habits of the people around them, good or bad.
The Impact of Social Norms on Driving Behaviour
How other people drive may also influence how the driver proceeds.
For example, the driver may have seen friends breaking road rules and compelled them to do the same. Alternatively, they may try to imitate a parent's rash driving style.
It is essential to recognize that it is unacceptable to do the same just because someone else does it.
Other people's driving habits can significantly influence our driving attitudes and behaviour. Here are some examples of how other people's driving habits can influence our driving habits:
- Social Norms
People tend to follow the behaviours of those around them, and driving is no exception. Suppose other drivers engage in risky behaviour such as speeding or weaving through traffic. In that case, we may be more likely to do the same. On the other hand, if we see other drivers following traffic laws and driving responsibly, we may be more likely to do the same.
- Peer Pressure
Peer pressure can also influence driving behaviour. For example, young drivers and their peers pressured to engage in risky behaviour such as drag racing or driving under the influence may be more likely to do so.
- Role Models
Positive role models such as safe and responsible drivers can also shape our driving behaviour. Suppose we see someone we respect and admire driving safely and responsibly. In that case, we may be more likely to follow their example.
- Stress
Other people's driving habits can also impact our stress levels and emotional state while driving. For example, if we are on the road with aggressive or reckless drivers, we may become more stressed and anxious, which can lead to more dangerous driving behaviour.
- Parenting
Parenting can also impact driving attitudes and behaviour. For example, children who grow up with parents who prioritize safe driving practices and set a good example for responsible driving may be more likely to adopt those same values and behaviours when driving themselves.
Other people's driving habits can significantly impact our driving attitudes and behaviour. By surrounding ourselves with positive role models and safe drivers, avoiding negative peer pressure, and prioritizing safe driving practices, we can improve our driving behaviour and contribute to a safer driving culture.
Using this on Ontario roads — and on your road test
Ontario instructors see this constantly: students arrive with a parent's mirror routine — or lack of one — already installed. In lessons, we replace borrowed habits with deliberate ones: full stops, signals, shoulder checks, space.
Questions drivers ask us
Do parents' driving habits really affect new drivers?
Yes. New drivers imitate what they have watched for years — parents and friends are driving instructors long before the first lesson, whether they mean to be or not.
How do I unlearn a bad habit I picked up from others?
Replace it with a specific routine and practise it deliberately — for example, a fixed mirror-signal-shoulder-check sequence — until the new habit is the automatic one.
What if my friends drive badly and I have to ride with them?
You can ask them to slow down, sit where you feel safest, and choose not to ride when it does not feel safe.