“I probably feel slightly more invincible”: The impact of technology that discloses enforcement locations on drivers’ behaviours

Abstract

There is a plethora of technology currently available that have the ability to notify individuals of traffic enforcement locations while they are driving. This technology has the potential to undermine legal deterrent efforts for preventing risky driving behaviours. However, drivers’ experiences using this technology and the trajectories through which this might interfere with deterrence for road rule violations are largely unexplored areas. As such, the present study aimed to explore two research questions: 1) what type of technology is used and how is it used, and 2) how does drivers’ use of this technology influence deterrence for road rule violations. In total, 58 Queensland licenced drivers who use technology that informs them of legal enforcement while driving participated in focus groups. To consider differences in use between ages, the sessions were conducted in three different age groups: 17–25 years, 26–49 years, and 50+ years. Reflexive thematic analysis was applied to the data, resulting in eight recognised themes. The findings highlighted that for most drivers, the primary purpose of using the technology was for navigation, while being notified of enforcement locations was a secondary purpose. In addition, the use of this technology encouraged road rule compliance for some yet was used as a strategy to avoid being caught for road rule violations for others. The findings have a number of practical and theoretical implications, demonstrating the complex interplay between technology used for enforcement notifications, its role in deterring road rule violations, and the principles of responsible innovation.