Differential impact of personality traits on distracted driving behaviors in teens and older adults

Abstract

Objective To determine the impact of personality on distracted driving behaviors. Method Participants included 120 drivers (48 teens, 72 older adults) who completed the 45-item Big Five Personality questionnaire assessing self-reported personality factors and the Questionnaire Assessing Distracted Driving (QUADD) assessing the frequency of distracted driving behaviors. Associations for all five personality traits with each outcome (e.g. number of times texting on the phone, talking on the phone, and interacting with the phone while driving) were analyzed separately for teens and older adults using negative binomial or Poisson regressions that controlled for age, gender and education. Results In teens, higher levels of openness and conscientiousness were predictive of greater reported texting frequency and interacting with a phone while driving, while lower levels of agreeableness was predictive of fewer reported instances of texting and interacting with a phone while driving. In older adults, greater extraversion was predictive of greater reported talking on and interacting with a phone while driving. Other personality factors were not significantly associated with distracted driving behaviors. Conclusions Personality traits may be important predictors of distracted driving behaviors, though specific traits associated with distracted driving may vary across age groups. The relationship between personality and distracted driving behaviors provides a unique opportunity to target drivers who are more likely to engage in distracted driving behavior, thereby increasing the effectiveness of educational campaigns and improving driving safety.

Who is a Distracted Driver? Associations between Mobile Phone Use while Driving, Domain‐Specific Risk Taking, and Personality

“…More broadly, our findings are consistent with research investigating the association between personality and risky driving behavior. We must note that these findings, in part, run contrary to those observed in the only other study to our knowledge that specifically examined personality correlates of distracted driving . Parr et al .…”

“…In a small sample ( n = 120), Parr et al . found that younger ( n = 48) and older drivers ( n = 72) differed with respect to the associations between personality traits and distracted driving tendencies . Whereas only greater extraversion was associated with distracted driving behaviors in adults, greater openness and lower agreeableness were associated with increased distracted driving tendencies in teenage drivers.…”

Mechanisms behind distracted driving behavior: The role of age and executive function in the engagement of distracted driving

“…Notably, age was a significant predictor of distracted driving, in that older age was predictive of lower engagement in distracted driving behaviors. Similarly, Parr et al (2016) found the same relation between age and engagement in cellular distraction while driving, with adolescents reporting more engagement with using the phone and texting while driving than older adults, but no difference between age groups for having a cell phone conversation while driving. These studies conclude that distracted driving is a phenomenon not only seen with young drivers, but also in older and more experienced drivers, just not as frequently.…”

Distracted Walking, Bicycling, and Driving: Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis of Mobile Technology and Youth Crash Risk

“…Although the focus of this review is what goes awry visually and cognitively when children and adolescents use mobile technology in traffic environments, social aspects of distracted behavior cannot be ignored. These aspects include personality and its influence on behavior (Parr et al., ), but most prominently involves youth peer relations. Youth often recognize the dangers of distracted behavior in transportation contexts yet still engage in it (McDonald & Sommers, ); empirical research in other fields (e.g., substance use, sexual risk taking) offers parallels and perhaps prevention strategies.…”