Abstract
Underage driving remains a persistent road safety problem in developing countries, where legal regulations often coexist with permissive social norms and limited transportation alternatives. This study examines the psychological mechanisms underlying parents’ protective behavior in preventing underage driving by applying the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) framework. A quantitative survey was conducted involving 600 respondents (300 parents and 300 students) from Malang, East Java, and Bangkalan, Madura, and the data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM). The findings demonstrate that both threat appraisal and coping appraisal positively and significantly influence behavioral intention and Protective Behavior, while behavioral intention also exerts a significant positive effect on actual protective behavior. Among all constructs, coping appraisal exhibits the strongest direct and indirect influence, indicating that parents’ confidence in their ability to prevent underage driving and their belief in the effectiveness of preventive actions are more influential than risk awareness alone. Behavioral intention further serves as a significant partial mediator linking cognitive appraisal to protective behavior. These findings suggest that preventing underage driving requires more than increasing awareness of traffic risks; it also depends on strengthening parents’ capacity to translate risk perceptions into consistent protective actions within complex social environments. The study extends the application of PMT to road safety in a developing-country context by integrating cognitive and contextual perspectives, providing evidence that effective interventions should combine psychological empowerment, family engagement, institutional support, and traffic law enforcement.