Explaining safety helmet use by motorcycle operators using a behavioral intention model

Data were collected during personal interviews at motorcycle dealerships on a multistage cluster sample of 235 motorcycle operators in Illinois, a state without a helmet use law. A follow-up telephone survey obtained self-reported data on subsequent helmet use behavior (50% response rate). Multiple regression analysis was used to test Fishbein's linear model of behavioral intention in predicting intentions to use a safety helmet from attitudinal and social-normative factors. Results show that 53% of the variance in behavioral intentions to wear a safety helmet could be explained from attitudinal and social-normative factors; the average correlation for the relationship behavior was .86. Results also show that self-reported frequency of helmet use varied under several motorcycle operating conditions. The decision to use a safety helmet was found to be primarily under attitudinal rather than social-normative control. Subjects who intended to wear a helmet when riding a motorcycle differed significantly from those who did not on 11 of 16 beliefs about the consequences of helmet use. A factor analysis revealed that beliefs loaded on three principal factors concerning the consequences of helmet use: safety, comfort-convenience, and social image. Intenders differed significantly from nonintenders on the safety and comfort-convenience consequences of helmet use, with intenders holding generally stronger beliefs about the safety consequences. Intenders also minimized the discomfort and inconvenience of helmet use and were less likely to hold inaccurate beliefs about the alleged disadvantages of helmet use. Social image failed to discriminate intenders from nonintenders. Findings indicate that nonintenders are generally not as informed about the safety consequences of helmet use as intenders. This suggests the need and justification for public policy to stress an informational approach to the problem of nonuse now that states appear to be moving away from legislating use.