PERSONALITY-CORRELATES OF CONVICTED DRIVERS

This study examined the personality correlates of convicted (convicted of offences such as speeding or reckless driving, but not alcohol related offences) and non-convicted drivers. All subjects were given a Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (measuring risk taking on the road), a shortened Zuckerman Sensation Seeking Questionnaire (with two factors of Thrill Seeking and Boredom Susceptibility), and a shortened Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. As hypothesized, convicted drivers attained high Psychoticism, low Neuroticism scores, as well as high Thrill and Boredom susceptibility scores. From the Driver Behaviour Questionnaire it was found that convictions were positively correlated with high risk factor scores which in turn correlated negatively with age, sex and years driving. Accident rates were not significantly correlated with EPQ or Sensation Seeking scales, but correlated negatively with age.