Personal and Social Determinants of Aggressive and Dangerous Driving

Abstract

Aggressive and dangerous driving compromises personal and public safety. The purpose of the present study was to identify common forms of aggressive and dangerous driving and to determine contributing factors. Participants included 298 university students who completed an online survey measuring aggressive and dangerous driving and a range of possible causes. Results showed that verbal aggression was most common followed by using one’s vehicle to express anger. Aggressive driving was associated with permissive attitudes towards driving aggression, vehicle preferences, and a disposition towards anger. Texting and eating while driving were the most common types of dangerous driving. The strongest predictors of dangerous driving were commuting distance, permissive attitudes towards distracted driving, vehicle preferences, and vehicle type. Implications and suggestions for future research are discussed.