title: The influence of anger, impulsivity, sensation seeking and driver attitudes on risky driving behaviour among post-graduate university students in Durban, South Africa.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Road traffic accidents (RTAs) constitute a serious global health risk, and evidence suggests that young drivers are significantly overrepresented among those injured or killed in RTAs. This study explores the role of anger, impulsivity, sensation seeking and driver attitudes as correlates for risky driving practices among drivers, drawing comparisons between age and gender.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used a cross-sectional survey design, with a sample of 306 post-graduate university students from two universities in Durban, South Africa, who completed the self-administered questionnaire.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results indicate that drivers with higher driver anger, sensation seeking, urgency, and with a lack of premeditation and perseverance in daily activities were statistically more likely to report riskier driving acts. Males reported significantly more acts of risky driving behaviour (RDB) than females. Driver attitudes significantly predicted self-reported acts of RDB on most indicators. Older drivers (25 years and older) had safer driver attitudes and a lower sense of sensation seeking and urgency in life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Interventions targeting young drivers, which focus on impeding the manifestation of anger, impulsivity and sensation seeking are recommended. Also, the empirical support for the attitude-behaviour hypothesis evidenced in this study vindicates the development or continuation of interventions that focus on this dynamic.
authors.affiliation: School of Psychology, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Private Bag X54001, Durban, South Africa. shaneel.bachoo@gmail.com
authors.forename: Shaneel
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bachoo
authors.forename: Anil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bhagwanjee
authors.forename: Kaymarlin
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Govender
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000786:Anger; D001290:Attitude; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007175:Impulsive Behavior / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010551:Personality; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012677:Sensation; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013019:South Africa; D013334:Students; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult