NCJ Number
44974
Date Published
1975
Length
272 pages
Annotation
THE QUESTION OF WHETHER SOCIAL FACTORS HAVE A CRITICAL INFLUENCE ON A PERSON'S DRIVING BEHAVIOR AND DRIVING RECORD IS EXAMINED.
Abstract
SOME DRIVERS HAVE MORE ACCIDENTS AND COMMIT MORE TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS THAN OTHERS. TWO CONFLICTING HYPOTHESES ARE THAT: (1) THIS IS A FUNCTION OF LUCK, AND VIOLATIONS AND ACCIDENTS HAPPEN TO 'NORMAL' PEOPLE ENGAGED IN 'NORMAL' ACTIVITIES; AND (2) AT LEAST FOR SOME TYPES OF ACCIDENTS, INVOLVEMENT IS NOT THE RESULT OF THE RANDOM OPERATION OF RISKS EQUALLY DISTRIBUTED AMONG NORMAL MEMBERS OF THE DRIVING POPULATION. THERE IS SOME EVIDENCE THAT VIOLATIONS AND ACCIDENTS ARE MANIFESTATIONS OF SOCIAL MALADJUSTMENT AND ARE SYMPTOMATIC OF A WIDER SOCIAL DEVIANCE. A RANDOM SAMPLE OF 960 DRIVERS IN URBAN AREAS OF ENGLAND AND WALES WAS TAKEN WHICH INCLUDED SAMPLES OF CONVICTED DRIVERS, ACCIDENT-INVOLVED DRIVERS, AND DRIVERS WITH CLEAN RECORDS. THESE DRIVERS WERE PERSONALLY INTERVIEWED USING A PREPARED QUESTIONNAIRE, AND THEN A SOCIAL INFORMATION FOLLOWUP WAS PERFORMED BY CONTACTING VARIOUS SOCIAL AGENCIES. SUBJECTS WERE CLASSED ACCORDING TO AGE, SEX, EXPOSURE TO RISK (YEARS DRIVEN AND ANNUAL MILEAGE), EDUCATION, AND OCCUPATION, AND THEIR RECORDS AND ATTITUDES TOWARD DRIVING WERE INVESTIGATED AND SCORED. QUESTIONS DEALT WITH SOCIAL ADAPTATION, ATTITUDE (TOLERANCE OF MOTORING AND NONMOTORING OFFENSES), ANXIETY, COMPETITIVENESS, AGGRESSION, AND DRIVING SPEED. THE ACCIDENT- AND OFFENSE-REPEATERS (PREDOMINANTLY MALE), WERE THEN EXAMINED AS A SEPARATE GROUP AND COMPARED WITH THE OTHER MALE DRIVERS. CASE HISTORIES ARE GIVEN TO ILLUSTRATE THE MAIN DIFFERENCES FOUND BETWEEN THE TWO GROUPS. AGE AND EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND VARIED LITTLE. SOME FACTORS WHICH WERE FOUND TO INFLUENCE THE REPEATER GROUPS INCLUDED: COMPETITIVE NATURE OF OCCUPATION, HIGH EXPOSURE TO RISK, AND PARTICULARLY CRIMINAL RECORD, CONTACT WITH SOCIAL AGENCIES, SOCIAL DEVIANCE AND MALADJUSTMENT, AND HIGHLY COMPETITIVE AND AGGRESSIVE (I.E., DEVIANT) ATTITUDES. SUPPORTING DATA ARE GIVEN. THE QUESTIONNAIRE IS REPRODUCED AND DISCUSSED IN AN APPENDIX, AND TECHNIQUES USED IN ANALYSIS OF THE DATA ARE DISCUSSED. A BIBLIOGRAPHY AND AN INDEX ARE INCLUDED.