Personality Traits and Driving Behaviour: Slovenian Drivers

Authors

  • Julijana Djordjević University of Ljubljana

Abstract

Personality plays a crucial role in driving behavior, as it can considerably impact a driver's actions on the road [1]. Therefore, knowing how personality traits influence driving behavior can help individuals become more aware of their behavioral tendencies and make conscious changes in their behavior that can contribute to improved safety on the road.

Intrigued by this notion, we would like to explore the existence of a correlation between personality traits and driving behavior, primarily focusing on young drivers. To achieve this goal, we have designed and want to validate a questionnaire called "Slovenian Driving Behaviour Questionnaire of Novice Drivers (SN-DBQ)". The questionnaire is an adaptation of the widely used Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ) [2]. The Big Five Inventory (BFI-2) [3] will be used to classify participants' personality traits, encompassing openness, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism. By analyzing the questionnaire responses, we will explore the effect of these traits on the frequency of driver errors.

Our research will seek to address two key research questions: firstly, whether the SN-DBQ is a valid measure of novice drivers' behavior compared to established metrics such as the DBQ, and secondly, whether a correlation between personality traits and driving behavior exists.

Data processing will involve conducting Pearson's correlation analysis between personality traits identified with the BFI-2 and error tendencies identified with the DBQ, as well as correlations between the results from the DBQ and the SN-DBQ. The internal reliability of all three questionnaires will be evaluated using Cronbach's alpha. Through these procedures, we will address the first research question by demonstrating whether the SN-DBQ is a valid tool for assessing the driving behavior of novice drivers.

A Pearson correlation will also be conducted between the BFI-2 and the SN-DBQ, enabling us to explore the extent to which personality traits predict driving errors. Our study could provide valuable insights by identifying the specific dimensions of driving behavior strongly associated with various personality traits. These findings have the potential to be utilized to develop targeted interventions to mitigate risky driving behaviors and promote safer practices on the road.

Our study highlights the importance of further research on the relationship between personality traits and driving behavior in novice drivers, emphasizing the potential effectiveness of personality-based interventions in improving driving safety.

References

[1] J. Smith, "The role of personality in driving behavior and road safety," Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, vol. 8, no. 3, pp. 123–130, 2021.

[2] S. T. Cordazzo, C. T. Scialfa, and R. J. Ross, "Modernization of the driver behavior questionnaire," Accident Analysis and Prevention, vol. 87, pp. 83-91, 2016.

[3] O. P. John, E. M. Donahue, and R. L. Kentle, "Big five inventory," Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, vol. 61, no. 3, pp. 454-456, 1991.

Published

2023-06-05