Promoting sustainable and safe mobility: psychometric validation of the MORDE scale for measuring moral disengagement in driving contexts

Background: Road traffic accidents continue to be a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Psychological and behavioural factors play a crucial role in traffic safety and are not yet fully understood. Among these, the relationship between individuals and road rules plays a key role in driving behaviour and risk perception. We introduce and validate the MORDE (Moral Disengagement in Road Driving Evaluation) scale, a novel instrument designed to assess the specific cognitive mechanisms through which drivers morally justify risky or rule-violating behaviours. Methods: The scale was developed and validated through a three-step process involving 1336 licensed drivers. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses were conducted to test its factorial structure, and internal consistency was evaluated using Cronbach’s alpha. Convergent and predictive validity were assessed using self-reported measures of traffic violations and road safety attitudes. Results: The final 14-item version of the MORDE scale shows a robust two-factor structure: (1) Normative Justification of Transgressive Driving and (2) Attribution of Blame and Displacement of Responsibility. The instrument demonstrates strong internal reliability and significant predictive power for driving behaviours and road safety attitudes, beyond what is explained by general moral disengagement. The MORDE scale thus shows good psychometric properties and incremental validity. Conclusions: By identifying psychological risk factors that contribute to unsafe and unsustainable driving, the MORDE scale provides a validated tool that can support educational interventions, traffic safety campaigns, and behaviour change programs. Its use may contribute to the promotion of a safer, more responsible, and environmentally sustainable road culture.