Personality and attitudes as predictors of risky driving behavior: Evidence from Beijing drivers

Abstract

The main aim of this study is to explore the relationships between personality traits, attitudes and risky driving behavior, in order to build a model of risky driving behavior that integrates the personality and social cognition approach. The study was based on a self-completion questionnaire survey carried out among 233 drivers in Beijing. The self-completion questionnaire consisted three sections: personality, attitudes towards traffic safety, and risky driving behavior. The results suggest that personality traits are valuable predictors of attitudes and risky driving behavior, and attitudes mediated the relation between the personality traits and risky driving behavior. Implications for road safety strategies are also discussed. © 2013 Springer-Verlag.