Peer Pressue: How it can Impact on Behaviour on the RoadPEER pressure has been around since time immemorial. It can be a positive or negative force. It contributes towards shaping our personalities, determining our friends and developing our identities. And in road safety, it plays a crucial role. The two major issues identified in many discussions with young people on peer pressure in road safety, are: the pressure to drive faster, and to take risks. It can also contribute to drinking and driving among teenagers. The general view is that peer pressure encourages dangerous activities on roads and is difficult to counter. At a youth forum hosted by the Australian Automobile Association in Adelaide recently, one youth said: "I’ve been in a car where I’ve been scared but didn’t have the guts to say stop." One of the points to emerge at this forum was that graphic or threatening advertising was not effective among young people. The "teach, don’t scare" approach was better. An understanding of peer pressure can also help us deal with it. It arises from an individual’s need to have the approval and acceptance of his or her equals. It is something that begins in childhood and continues into adulthood.
However, the influence of peer pressure is strongest during the adolescence years. It is a time when teenagers are struggling to gain independence from parents, while battling to gain the acceptance of friends and fellow pupils. The urge to be part of a group to provide them with a sense of security and identity is strong. This desire for peer approval drives much of the adolescent’s behaviour. If the pressure is positive the upside is that teenagers, for example, can benefit from the advice of friends on how to act correctly in difficult situations. There is, of course, nothing wrong in trying to conform. It can help teenagers begin the process of separating from their parents and developing their identity while growing into adulthood. The problem arises when one bows to peer pressure. This insults the "I" in you for. It is a betrayal of personal beliefs and values. This is when peer pressure becomes negative. It can be a damaging force not only on the road, but also in many other aspects of a person’s behaviour such as drug and alcohol abuse and criminal acts. It is always important to ask yourself: "Am I giving in to peer pressure or am I doing what is right?" But in rejecting peer pressure, it is also important to realize why you are doing so.
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