RISKIEST DRIVERS HAVE THIS PERSONALITY

-

Look out for extraverted older adults and conscientious or curious teens who get behind the wheel. Why? They may be more likely to engage in risky driving behavior, according to researchers from the University of Alabama at Birmingham, who have concluded that certain personality characteristics can predict distracted driving tendencies. Distracted driving, which can include anything from changing the radio station to texting, is a factor in about half of all car crashes, which translates to one million crashes that result in injuries. And 10 percent of those crashes result in fatalities. That is why it's important to understand more about distracted drivers.
The "Big Five" personality traits are:
  1. Openness to experience: inventive and curious vs. consistent and cautious
  2. Conscientiousness: efficient and organized vs. easy-going and careless
  3. Extraversion: outgoing and energetic vs. solitary and reserved
  4. Agreeableness: friendly and compassionate vs. analytical and detached
  5. Neuroticism: sensitive and nervous vs. secure and confident
The study: The UAB team targeted two driving age groups that tend to have the most dangerous driving practices: teenagers ages 16 to 19 and older adults ages 65 to 85. Some 120 volunteers who fit one of these two age group profiles completed the 45-item "Big Five" questionnaire to assess their own personality traits, as well as the Questionnaire Assessing Distracted Driving, or QUADD, which assesses the frequency of distracted driving behaviors. Teens who identified with the "openness to experience" personality trait also were more likely to text and use their cellphone while driving. Specifically, a 10 percent increase in openness was associated with a 22% increase in risk for distracted driving. In older adults, only one personality factor was significantly associated with distracted driving behaviors: extraversion. A 10 percent increase in extraversion scores translated to a 20 percent increase in instances of talking on or interacting with a phone.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

City Page Survey

-
The City of Sierra Vista wants to know what you think about the weekly City Page. We would love to know what you would like to see or not see, and what is useful. The survey should take about two minutes, and your responses are completely anonymous. Cut out this section and send it to the City of Sierra Vista Public Affairs Office at 1011 N. Coronado Drive, Sierra Vista, AZ 85635, or fill it out online at www.surveymonkey.com/s/Citypage1 . We really appreciate your input! How often do you read the City Page?  Every week Occasionally Sometimes Rarely Never What source do you use to read the City Page? Sierra Vista Herald SVHerald.com SierraVistaAZ.gov I don’t read the City Page If you read the City Page, do you find the information useful? Yes No Sort of What kind of information would you like to see published on the City Page? (Select all that apply) Event information Recap of past events (highlights, attendance, etc.) More pictures than text 
Read more

Fall Book Discussion and Movie Series

-
Fall Book Discussion and Movie Series—Heartburn by Nora Ephron Wednesday, November 19 Book Discussion • 10:30 a.m. Movie • 1:00 p.m. Sierra Vista Public Library Join us for a lively and stimulating discussion about “Choices and Changes,” this season’s book and movie series theme exploring women’s rights. The series concludes with Nora Ephron’s modern tale Heartburn, the semi-autobiographical novel based on her tempestuous marriage to Washington Post’s Pulitzer Prize winning reporter Carl Bernstein, best known for breaking the Watergate scandal. Interested in joining the discussion? Call Susan Abend at 458-4225 to register or if you would like more information.
Read more

Book discussion group to meet

-
Book discussion group to meet The next book up for discussion by the Cochise College Literary Guild is “Spirit Walk,” written by Cochise College instructor Jay Treiber. The discussion is Nov. 21, 11 a.m. – noon, in the Horace Steele Room in the Sierra Vista Campus Library Building. The Literary Guild club for readers and lovers of books is open to all students and community members. For more information, call 520.515.5499 or coylem@cochise.edu .
Read more