Driver Demographics and Trends
The Broader Social Factors That Shape Driving Behaviour
Driviology Road Safety Education Team
Quick Answer
Broader social factors like family norms, community driving culture, and media portrayal shape driving behaviour gradually over time, distinct from the in-the-moment influence of passenger peer pressure.
Our guide to peer pressure covers in-the-moment influence from passengers; this page covers the slower, broader social forces shaping driving habits over time.
Family Norms
A household where speeding or distracted driving is normalized tends to pass those norms along, well before a new driver ever gets behind the wheel themselves.
Community and Cultural Driving Norms
Local driving culture, shaped by community norms and enforcement patterns, influences what feels like "normal" behaviour on a given road or in a given city.
Building Better Norms Over Time
These broader social factors connect to the same ideas covered in building positive attitudes toward driving.