23 June 2006
(source: Direct Line)
UK
motorists have personality crash
Being
born ‘accident prone’ is a myth as it’s all to do
with your personality, according to Direct Line.
Experts
have unearthed five personality types more
likely to be involved in the 10,000* UK car accidents that happen every
day. And, according to the academic study commissioned by Direct
Line, none of them involve simply being unlucky.
In
fact, motorists hiding behind the ‘I’m just unlucky’
excuse can now take the Direct Line test online at www.directline.com/accidentpronequiz.pdf
to find out if their personality steers them into accidents.
Cultured
Britons belong to the ‘impulsive’ group of
drivers whose imaginative and broad-minded approach to life means
they’re more likely to make up the rules as they go along. And
that’s not good news for avoiding accidents.
Meanwhile,
the ‘Accident-Prone Myth’ report also reveals
that, although worrywarts are naturally more safety-minded, they’re
more likely to cause calamity on the roads. ‘Neurotic’ motorists
are so wrapped up in their own worries they’re more easily distracted
than other drivers. And they’re also most likely to react badly
to stress, which affects their reaction times and judgement.
Fun
loving, chatty people are also pushing up UK
accident levels. Direct Line experts found that the ‘sensation-
seeking’ group was less careful, had a lower attention span and were
more thrill-seeking than other drivers. Outgoing types should
also know that their accident potential increases during stretches of
more boring motorway driving.
‘Me,
me, me’ types are also veering into more problems
on the road. This ‘irresponsible’ group is more likely to ignore
the consequences of their actions, flout road rules and think only of
the here and now.
Finally,
the report conducted by think tank, the Centre
for Future Studies, concluded that the Eastender Phil Mitchell types of
the world are also, as suspected, more responsible for accidents. ‘Not
agreeable’ types are more hostile, aggressive and emotional behind the
wheel, leading to a higher risk of collision.
The
Direct Line report was compiled from an academic
literature review of 108 studies of driving behaviour and the causes of
accidents.
Commenting
on its findings, Emma Holyer, Direct Line
said:
“As
one of the UK’s leading car insurers, we’re
constantly looking into the issue of road safety and the cause of
accidents. The Centre for Future Studies conducted the study to
try and understand once and for all whether some people are just
unlucky – or whether accidents can be more preventable.
Hopefully, by uncovering these five personality types who are more
prone to accidents, we can help motorists better understand their
behaviour in terms of road safety and try not to let their personality
traits rule their driving behaviour.
"Given
the strength of our ‘Accident-Prone Myth’
findings, perhaps it might also be appropriate to include psychological
testing as part of the driving test."
Dr
Glenn Wilson, reader in personality, Institute of
Psychiatry, added:
"Over
the years many psychologists have sought to
identify an "accident-prone" personality that would explain why a small
number of people account for the majority of accidents. They now
realise that no single trait in itself predicts the likelihood of
accidents. However, a constellation of several different traits
does add up to an accident-prone person. These include
irresponsibility, aggression, impulsiveness, sensation-seeking and
neuroticism - traits which are tapped by standard personality
questionnaires."
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