Exploring Psychosocial Determinants of Young Adults E-Scooter Speeding: A TPB-Aligned SEM Study

This study explores the psychosocial factors that predispose young e-scooter users (18 to 24 years) to engage in illegal speeding by adopting a theory-driven approach across the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). The study, based on survey data of 474 participants, and analyzed with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), found that emotional regulation and internal locus of control predict speeding intention and behavior and are significantly negative (β = +0.66 and β = −0.52, respectively). Satisfactory robustness was assured by model fit indices (0.93 CFI, 0.91 TLI, 0.045 RMSEA, and 0.071 SRMR). Findings indicate that the effect of emotional regulation is more on attitude and perception of behavioral control, but the connection between self-regulation and speeding intention is mediated by internal control. The inclusion of psychosocial variables in the TPB contributes to the behavioral theory of micro-mobility contexts and the behavioral study of sustainable-mobility research to emotional and cognitive aspects of risk behavior. The policy suggestions include incorporating short emotion-management courses into rider-training applications, collaborating with scooter-sharing institutions on incentive-based safety interventions, and developing interventions that promote responsibility, self-control, and emotional sensitivity among young people. These results reiterate the fact that psychological antecedents of risky riding require attention to achieve socially and environmentally sustainable urban mobility.