A prevalence study of driving anxiety in France

Abstract

IntroductionDriving anxiety can be deleterious for individual mobility, driving behaviour, and well-being. This phenomenon seems to be relatively common in all industrialized societies but its extent is still poorly estimated. New Zealand studies report a prevalence of driving anxiety from 25 to 69% according to the age range of the population considered (18–87; 55–72; or over 65). In addition, these data agree on an over-representation of women among people concerned by this anxiety. Up to now, no data exists on the prevalence of this phenomenon in France. The major aim of this study is to quantify the proportion of the French population concerned by driving anxiety. MethodsFor that, a cross-sectional study using an online survey has been conducted among 5000 French adults (from 18 to 89 years old) in June 2021. The sample is representative of the French population in gender, age, occupational categories, and place of residence. ResultsThe main results reveal that nearly 80 % of our sample express at least a minimal level of driving anxiety (on a scale from 0 to 10). The mean intensity of reported driving anxiety is higher for women than for men. Moreover, the intensity is negatively correlated with age. Finally, the intensity of reported driving anxiety is on average higher for people living in large urban areas (e.g Paris) and for people belonging to low-qualified occupational categories. ConclusionsThese results highlighted the extent of driving anxiety in France. Future studies should assess its impact on quality of life as well as on skills and driving behavior according to its intensity.