Abstract
Our study explores the relationships between traffic-psychological driving-related personality traits, fluid intelligence, and cognitive abilities for drivers whose driver license has been revoked due to intoxicated driving (alcohol and/or drugs). We were able to show that high significant impacts on cognitive functions derive from the participants’ age and fluid intelligence. In addition, driving-related personality traits like emotional instability, sense of responsibility and self-control contributed significantly to some of the cognitive abilities that are important for the fitness to drive. Additionally, mediating effects of fluid intelligence in the model are discussed. Traffic psychologists can use this knowledge in their assessment of drivers, mainly regarding the possible compensation of cognitive deficits regarding the fitness to drive.
Highlights
About 25,600 people died and more than 1.4 million people were injured in car accidents in the Member States of the European Union in 2016 (European Union, 2018)
We carried out hierarchical multiple regression models controlling for age and gender in the first step, defining a sense of responsibility, selfcontrol, adventurousness and need for excitement and emotional instability as independent variables in the second step, adding fluid intelligence in the third and including the interaction terms of age and the driving-related personality traits of our analysis
We analyzed the direct and indirect effects of the driving-related personality traits on the different cognitive abilities when fluid intelligence was included as a mediator variable in the model
Summary
About 25,600 people died and more than 1.4 million people were injured in car accidents in the Member States of the European Union in 2016 (European Union, 2018). Road traffic crashes cost around 3% of their gross domestic product (World Health Organization, 2018). These numbers show that the reduction of traffic accidents has to be a priority target for society in order to reduce emotional and physical pain as well as financial losses. Drivers who were caught by the police with a level of 1.6 per thousand blood alcohol or higher or impairment because of the consumption of drugs have to prove their ability to drive in a psychological test if they want to get their revoked driving license back again. Risser et al (2008) and Sommer et al (2008b) have shown that standardized psychological driving tests are an appropriate criterion to measure the fitness to drive The guidelines on how to conduct these tests are regulated in the Austrian Regulation on Health and Driving Licenses (Federal Republic of Austria, 2016). Risser et al (2008) and Sommer et al (2008b) have shown that standardized psychological driving tests are an appropriate criterion to measure the fitness to drive
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
