Risky driving behaviours are a known contributor to young drivers’ overrepresentation in road trauma, with self-regulation suggested as an important associated construct, but yet to be extensively explored. The aims of this study were to examine the utility of self-determination theory in explaining risky driving behaviours and to explore differences between young Learner and Provisional (P1)- licensed drivers in regard to their self-regulated safety orientation and engagement in risky driving behaviours. Learners (n = 1038) and P1(n = 589) drivers, aged 16–19 years, responded to a 91-item online survey, including self-regulated safety orientation items adapted from self-determination theory and inattentive and intentional risky driving behaviour items. Results showed that self-determination theory had good predictive power for the two types of risky driving behaviours for both licence groups. Learner and P1 drivers’ engagement in risky behaviours was similar, however, the relative importance of self-regulated safety orientation elements to reduced engagement in these behaviours differed. Learners’ engagement in intentional risky behaviours reflected greater perceived effort/importance and pressure/tension compared to P1 drivers. Greater effort/importance is an overarching indicator of internalised regulation concerning safe driving behaviours, which might be primed when first exposed to driving. However, greater perceived pressure/tension suggests that internalisation of self-regulatory processes is being suppressed during the Learner phase. This might stem from the required presence of driver trainers and supervisory drivers, as well as interactions with other road users. Whilst only tentative explanations in this first exploration, the findings suggest there is potential for greater efforts in Learner driver training and supervision to encompass the types of skills and learning that encourage the development of self-regulation to reduce risky driving behaviours during both the Learner and P1 stage. These findings contribute to the limited research regarding self-regulation by young novice drivers and informs a better understanding of the psychological influences of engagement in risky driving behaviours, including the first such examination among early independent licensed drivers.

危险的驾驶行为是年轻驾驶员在道路创伤中表现过多的一个已知原因，自我调节被认为是重要的相关构造，但有待进一步探索。这项研究的目的是检验自决理论在解释危险驾驶行为中的效用，并探讨年轻学习者和临时（P1）许可的驾驶员在自我调节的安全性取向和参与危险驾驶行为方面的差异。 。16-19岁的学习者（n = 1038）和P1（n = 589）驾驶员对一项91项在线调查做出了回应，其中包括根据自我决定理论以及不专心和有意为之进行自我调节的安全指导项目危险的驾驶行为项目。结果表明，自决理论对两个执照组的两种危险驾驶行为均具有良好的预测能力。学习者和P1驾驶员对危险行为的参与相似，但是，自我调节的安全指导元素对于减少对这些行为的参与的相对重要性有所不同。与P1驾驶员相比，学习者对故意危险行为的参与反映出更大的感知努力/重要性和压力/紧张感。更大的努力/重要性是关于安全驾驶行为的内部监管的总体指标，在首次接触驾驶时可能会得到充分体现。然而，更大的感知压力/张力这表明在学习者阶段，自我调节过程的内部化受到抑制。这可能源于所需的驾驶员培训师和监督驾驶员的存在，以及与其他道路使用者的互动。尽管在此首次探索中仅进行了初步解释，但研究结果表明，有可能在学习者驾驶员培训和监督中做出更大的努力，以涵盖鼓励发展自我调节以减少学习者和学生期间危险驾驶行为的技能和学习类型。 P1阶段。这些发现有助于年轻的新手驾驶员进行自我调节方面的有限研究，并有助于更好地了解参与危险驾驶行为的心理影响，