I take the risk, yet they do it more often: Two studies of representative samples of better-than-average effect in explaining the perceived risk-taking near railway crossings

Abstract

The high number of injuries and fatalities associated with railways underscores the urgent need for effective transportation safety policies and public safety campaigns. One factor that may help explain risky behavior in these settings is the better-than-average effect (BTAE) −- a cognitive bias in which individuals view their own actions as safer than those of others. To investigate this, we conducted two nationally representative surveys in Latvia (N = 1005 in each sample). Participants reported how often they engaged in specific risky behaviors near railways and how frequently they observed others engaging in the same behaviors. In both studies, a consistent BTAE emerged: people perceived themselves as engaging in risky behaviors less frequently than others. The effect was more substantial for behaviors rated as more dangerous, suggesting that perceived risk amplifies the bias. Additionally, older participants reported lower frequencies of risky behavior for both themselves and others, indicating an age-related decline in perceived risk-taking.