ACCLDENT-PRONENESS IN MOTOR-VEHICLE DRIVERS

Abstract

Abstract Motor-vehicle drivers were examined at interview and on visual tests. Each was classified as ‘ accident-prone.’. or ‘ safe ’ on the basis of his known- accident record -and the distance he said he had driven, those with a rate of 3 or more accidents per 100 000 miles being classified as ‘ accident-prone ’, those with a lower rate as ‘ safe ’. On this criterion there were 34 ‘ accident-prone ’ drivers to be compared with 74 ‘ safe ’. All those who gave a history of definite nervous or mental illness were ‘ safe ’. Those who had had grammar-school education or its equivalent tended to be ‘ safe ’. The unmarried men tended to be ‘ accident-prone ’. A larger proportion of the ‘ accident-prone ’ had been convicted of traffic or other offences. No differences -were found between the ‘ accident-prone ’ and the ‘ safe ’ in the incidence of physical disabilities, eye or ear defects or psychosomatic complaints, or in personal qualities so far as these could be rated. Plans for further research into accident-proneness are briefly discussed.