The transmission of driving styles from fathers to sons in Arab society in Israel: The contribution of parental attachment and family climate for road safety

This study examined the unique and combined contributions of father's driving style and attachment to their son and the son's perception of the family climate for road safety to the young driver's driving style. One hundred Israeli Arab dyads of father-young male driver completed self-report questionnaires. Findings indicate that the higher the attachment dimensions, the more the son is likely to adopt a patient and careful style on the road, and the less likely he is to display a non-adaptive driving style. Positive associations were also found between the father's driving style and that of his son. Moreover, the dimension of modeling in the family climate for road safety served as a mediator in the association between the driving styles of the father and son, with the exception of the anxious style. The findings highlight the importance of the personal example fathers provide to their sons in influencing the young driver's behavior behind the wheel, especially in a culture that honors respect for and compliance with the father's values and demands. They point to the need to design specific intervention programs for fathers of young drivers in Arab society.