Determinants of Risky Riding Behaviors Among High School Students in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

This study examines the causal relationship between personality traits and latent factors in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in the Ho Chi Minh (HCM) City area. Four hundred nine students in grades 10, 11, and 12 have fully completed survey questionnaires to assess personality traits (anxiety, sensation seeking, anger, altruism, normlessness), latent factors (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioral control, intentions), and risky riding behaviors. Research results show that sensation seeking directly impacts risky riding behaviors. In contrast, altruism has an indirect effect on these behaviors through attitudes and perceived behavioral control. The study also found that personality traits, latent factors, and risky riding behaviors did not differ between males and females. This study also revealed that personality traits play an important role in predicting risky riding behaviors in high school students, and the causal relationship can be explained through the TPB. In addition, a solution to improve students’ attitudes and knowledge about traffic safety will be proposed from the results of this study.