STRESS AND DRIVING: THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN LIFE CRISIS EXPERIENCES AND A SUDDEN DETERIORATION IN DRIVING RECORD

THIS STUDY WAS AN EXPLORATORY INVESTIGATION OF WHETHER DRIVERS WHO HAVE SHOWN A RAPID DETERIORATION IN DRIVING RECORD DIFFER FROM CONTROL SUBJECTS IN THE FREQUENCY WITH WHICH THEY HAVE EXPERIENCED CERTAIN KINDS OF LIFE STRESSES. THE CRISIS GROUP WAS MADE UP OF DRIVERS WHOSE RECORDS SHOWED THREE CONSECUTIVE YEARS WITH ON ACCIDENTS OR VIOLATIONS FOLLOWED BY A FOURTH YEAR WITH AT LEAST THREE VIOLATIONS OR THREE ACCIDENTS. THESE DRIVERS WERE COMPARED WITH A CONTROL SAMPLE. WHEN THE 16 STRESSORS ASKED ABOUT WERE SUMMED TO YIELD A TOTAL STRESS SCORE FOR EACH SUBJECT, IT WAS FOUND THAT THE CRISIS AND CONTROL GROUPS DIFFERED SIGNIFICANTLY. A LARGER PORTION OF THE CRISIS GROUP REPORT NO STRESS, AND A LARGE PORTION OF THE CONTROL GROUP REPORT ONE STRESS. BEYOND THE ONE STRESS THE GROUPS WERE COMPARABLE, SO THAT THE RESULTS ARE NOT READILY INTERPRETED. THE LIFE STRESSES DISTINGUISHING THE TWO GROUPS APPEAR TO BE DIFFICULTY IN INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS, A DECLINE IN PERSONAL HEALTH, AND/OR FEELING THAT THERE IS NO PURPOSE IN LIVING. SHOULD IT BE MORE FIRMLY ESTABLISHED THAT PERSONS EXPERIENCING SUCH STRESSORS ARE OVERREPRESENTED IN TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS AND ACCIDENTS, THERE REMAINS THE TASK OF DEVELOPING EFFECTIVE COUNTERMEASURES. IT MAY BE POSSIBLE TO ELICIT THE PARTICIPATION OF COUNSELORS, PHYSIANS, OR LEGAL PERSONNEL, INCLIDING LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIALS, LAWYERS, AND JUDGES TO TAKE MEASURES AIMED AT REDUCING THE RISK.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • 2 APP
• Corporate Authors:

  University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

  Highway Safety Research Center
  Chapel Hill, NC  United States  27599
• Authors:
  • Waller, P F
  • Foley, J P
  • Jeffrey, D W
• Publication Date: 1972-11

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 87 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Behavior; Crash causes; Crashes; Drivers; High risk drivers; Human characteristics; Stresses; Traffic violators
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver characteristics
• Old TRIS Terms: Driver psychology; Stress conditions
• Subject Areas: Highways; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Society;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00224325
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Apr 3 2003 12:00AM