Fatal Road Accident Causer's Driving Aptitude in Hungary
Commenced in January 2007
Frequency: Monthly
Edition: International
Paper Count: 32769
Fatal Road Accident Causer's Driving Aptitude in Hungary

Authors: A. Juhász, M. Fogarasi

Abstract:

Those causing fatal traffic accidents are traumatized, which negatively influences their cognitive functions and their personality. In order to clarify how much the trauma of causing a fatal accident effects their driving skills and personality traits, the results of a psychological aptitude and a personality test of drivers carelessly causing fatal accidents and of drivers not causing any accidents were compared separately. The sample (N = 354) consists of randomly selected drivers from the Transportation Aptitude and Examination Centre database who caused fatal accidents (Fatal group, n = 177) or did not cause accidents (Control group, n = 177). The aptitude tests were taken between 2014 and 2019. The comparison of the 2 groups was done according to 3 aspects: 1. Categories of aptitude (suitable, restricted, unsuited); 2. Categories of causes (ability, personality, ability and personality) within the restricted or unsuited (altogether: non-suitable subgroups); 3. Categories of ability and personality within the non-suitable subgroups regardless of the cause-category. Within ability deficiency, the two groups include those, whose ability factor is impaired or limited. This is also true in case of personality failure. Compared to the control group, the number of restricted drivers causing fatal accidents is significantly higher (p < .000) and the number of unsuited drivers is higher on a tendency-level (p = .06). Compared to the control group in the fatal non-suitable subgroup, the ratio of restricted suitability and the unsuitability due to ability factors is exclusively significantly lower (p < .000). The restricted suitability and the unsuitability due to personality factors are more significant in the fatal non-suitable subgroup (p < .000). Incapacity due to combination of ability and personality is also significantly higher in the fatal group (p = .002). Compared to the control group both ability and personality factors are also significantly higher in the fatal non-suitable subgroup (p < .000). Overall, the control group is more eligible for driving than drivers who have caused fatalities. The ability and personality factors are significantly higher in the case of fatal accident causers who are non-suitable for driving. Moreover the concomitance of ability and personality factors occur almost exclusively to drivers who caused fatal accidents. Further investigation is needed to understand the causes and how the aptitude test results for the fatal group could improve over time.

Keywords: Aptitude, unsuited, fatal accident, ability, personality.

Procedia APA BibTeX Chicago EndNote Harvard JSON MLA RIS XML ISO 690 PDF Downloads 614

References:


[1] O. I. Kondás, Á. Kun, and M. Hérincs, “Stressz a megkülönböztetett jelzésű gépjármű volánjánál” Alkalmazott Pszichológia, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 7-27, 2016.
[2] S. Nolen-Hoeksema, B. L. Fredrickson, Atkinson & Hilgard's Introduction to Psychology, 2009, Cengage Learning.
[3] M. Vágnerová, Z. Hadj-Moussová, S. Stech, Psychologie handicapu. 2000, Praha: Karolonum.
[4] R. Mayou, B. Bryant, and R. Duthie, “Psychiatric consequences of road traffic accidents.” British Medical Journal, vol. 307, no. 6905, pp. 647-651, 1993.
[5] J. L. Wills, Chronic trauma effects on personality trait trajectory in police officers. ScholarWorks at University of Montana. 2013, Graduate Student Theses, Dissertations, & Professional Papers.
[6] J. G. Beck, and S. F. Coffey, Assessment and treatment of PTSD after a motor vehicle collision: Empirical findings and clinical observations. Professional Psychology, Research and Practice, vol. 38, no. 6, pp. 629–639, 2007.
[7] T. Tranah, and P. D. Farmer. Psychological reactions of drivers to railway suicide. Social Science & Medicine, vol. 38, no. 3, pp. 459-469, 1994.
[8] J. Pilling. A gyász hatása a testi és a lelki egészségi állapotra. Semmelweis Egyetem Mentális Egészségtudományok Doktori Iskola, 2012, Doktori értekezés.
[9] R. L. Aupperle, A. J. Melrose, M. B. Stein, and M.P. Paulus, “Executive function and PTSD: disengaging from trauma.” Neuropharmacology, Feb; vol. 62, no. 2, pp. 686-94, February 2012.
[10] A. P. DePrince, and J. J. Freyd, “Trauma‐induced dissociation.” In M. J. Friedman, T. M. Keane, and P.A. Resick (Eds.), Handbook of PTSD: Science & Practice, Second Edition, pp. 219‐233. New York: Guilford Press. (Updated version of DePrince & Freyd (2007).)
[11] J. J. Vasterling, L. M. Duke, K. Brailey, J. I. Constans, AN. Jr. Allain, and P. B. Sutker, “Attention, learning, and memory performances and intellectual resources in Vietnam veterans: PTSD and no disorder comparisons.” Neuropsychology, vol. 16, no. 1, pp. 5-14., January, 2002.
[12] M. Esterman, J. DeGutis, R. Mercado, A. Rosenblatt, J.n J. Vasterling, W. Milberg, and R. McGlinchey, “Stress-Related Psychological Symptoms Are Associated with Increased Attentional Capture by Visually Salient Distractors.” Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society, vol. 19, pp. 1–6, 2013.
[13] M. W. Gilbertson, T. V. Gurvits, N. Lasko, and S. P. Orr. “Multivariate Assessment of Explicit Memory Function in Combat Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.” Journal of Traumatic Stress, vol. 14, no. 2, pp. 413-32, May 2001.
[14] A. R. Polak, A. B. Witteveen, J. B. Reitsma, M. Olff, “The role of executive function in posttraumatic stress disorder: a systematic review.” Journal of Affective Disorders, vol. 41, no. 1, pp. 11-21, December 2012.
[15] J. Casada, and J. Roache, “Behavioral Inhibition and Activation in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.” Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease, vol. 193, no. 2, pp. 102-9, March 2005.
[16] S. B. Campbell, and K. D. Renshaw, “Posttraumatic Stress Disorder and Relationship Functioning: A Comprehensive Review and Organizational Framework”, Clinical Psychology Review, vol. 65, pp. 152–162., November 2018.
[17] R. L. Aupperle, A. J. Melrose, M. B. Stein, and M.P. Paulus, “Executive function and PTSD: disengaging from trauma.” Neuropharmacology, Feb; vol. 62, no. 2, pp. 686-94, February 2012.
[18] Zs., Bencs. Az osztrák közlekedésspecifikus itemtár (VIP.2) magyar adaptációja. Alkalmazott Pszichológia, vol. 14, no. 3, pp. 59-71., 2014.
[19] L. Evans. Traffic Safety Bloomfield Hills, MI: Science Service Society, 2004.
[20] G. J. Hole. The Psychology of Driving. Mahwah. N. J.: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2006.
[21] Közlekedésbiztonsági Szemle. A Nemzeti Közlekedési Hatóság szakmai lapja, Autóvezető különszám, 3, 2009.
[22] www.nkh.gov.hu