Kaahaajat: Finnish attitudes towards speeding

People driving in excess of the posted speed limit (referred to as speeding in English or Kaahaajat in Finnish) is a common road user behaviour. In Finland, between 2000 and 2020, speeding was identified as the key contributing factor in 41% of fatal motor vehicle collisions. This may be because disregarding speed limits on motorways and on residential roads are the most common violations performed by Finnish drivers. This study identifies factors influencing speeding while driving in Finland. In particular, 703 responses from Finnish drivers of the ESRA2 (E-Survey of Road users’ Attitudes) were analysed to understand the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) factors underpinning speeding behaviours in three road environments: inside built-up areas; outside of built-up areas; and on motorways and freeways. Three binary logistic regression analyses were used to understand which elements of TPB were associated with self-reported speeding in each of these environments. Approximately two thirds of participants reported speeding in each of the three road environments. Attitudes and subjective norms were associated with speeding in built-up areas and on motorways or freeways. In addition, perceived behavioural control and age were significantly associated with speeding outside of built-up areas. The findings highlight how a systematic approach is needed to address speeding considering enforcement, engineering, legislation, and education.