title: Personality and attitudes as predictors of risky driving among older drivers.
abstract: Although there are several studies on the effects of personality and attitudes on risky driving among young drivers, related research in older drivers is scarce. The present study assessed a model of personality-attitudes-risky driving in a large sample of active older drivers. A cross-sectional design was used, and structured and anonymous questionnaires were completed by 485 older Italian drivers (Mean age=68.1, SD=6.2, 61.2% males). The measures included personality traits, attitudes toward traffic safety, risky driving (errors, lapses, and traffic violations), and self-reported crash involvement and number of issued traffic tickets in the last 12 months. Structural equation modeling showed that personality traits predicted both directly and indirectly traffic violations, errors, and lapses. More positive attitudes toward traffic safety negatively predicted risky driving. In turn, risky driving was positively related to self-reported crash involvement and higher number of issued traffic tickets. Our findings suggest that theoretical models developed to account for risky driving of younger drivers may also apply in the older drivers, and accordingly be used to inform safe driving interventions for this age group.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology of Development and Socialization Processes, Sapienza, University of Rome, Via Dei Marsi, 78-00185 Rome, Italy. Electronic address: fabio.lucidi@uniroma1.it.
authors.forename: Fabio
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lucidi
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology of Development and Socialization Processes, Sapienza, University of Rome, Via Dei Marsi, 78-00185 Rome, Italy; Department of Movement, Human and Health Sciences, University of Rome, "Foro Italico"- P.za Lauro de Bosis, 15- 00135 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Mallia
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology of Development and Socialization Processes, Sapienza, University of Rome, Via Dei Marsi, 78-00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Lambros
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lazuras
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Sapienza, University of Rome, Via Dei Marsi, 78-00185 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Cristiano
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Violani
mesh_terms: D000063:Accidents, Traffic / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude; D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D010551:Personality; D010555:Personality Inventory; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012449:Safety
keywords: Errors; Lapses; Older drivers; Personality; Risky driving; Traffic violations