Traffic Violations and Errors: The Effects of Sensation Seeking and Attention

Ayvaşık, H Belgin; Er, Nurhan; Sümer, Nebi · 2005 · Crossref

DOI: 10.17077/drivingassessment.1190

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Summary

This study investigates the interaction between sensation seeking, a personality trait, and attention, a cognitive process, in predicting traffic violations and errors. While previous research established independent links between sensation seeking and risky driving, and between attention deficits and accident rates, the combined effect of these factors remained unexplored. The authors aimed to determine how the interplay of high sensation seeking and varying attention levels influences driver behavior, specifically whether certain combinations lead to increased risk-taking. The study involved 716 volunteer male drivers from Ankara, Turkey, with a mean age of 36.59 years. Participants completed computerized monotonous and selective attention tests, alongside self-report measures including the Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ), Driver Skills Inventory (DSI), and Arnett Inventory of Sensation Seeking (AISS). Drivers were categorized into four groups based on median splits of their attention test scores: low monotonous/low selective, high monotonous/high selective, low monotonous/high selective, and high monotonous/low selective. They were also classified as low or high sensation seekers. A 4 (attention groups) × 2 (sensation seeking groups) MANOVA was conducted to analyze traffic violations and errors. Results indicated significant main effects for attention and significant interaction effects between attention and sensation seeking for both violations and errors. Crucially, drivers who were high sensation seekers and scored high on both monotonous and selective attention tests committed significantly more traffic violations and errors than other groups. Although high sensation seekers generally reported higher self-rated driving skills, the subgroup with high attention scores reported lower safety skills. Post-hoc analyses confirmed that this specific combination of high sensation seeking and high attention performance was associated with the highest rates of aberrant driving behaviors. The findings suggest that drivers with high sensation seeking and strong attention capabilities are prone to overconfidence, overestimating their driving abilities while underestimating traffic hazards. This mismatch between perceived competence and actual safety awareness leads to increased risk-taking and violations. The study implies that high attention performance does not necessarily mitigate the risks associated with sensation seeking; instead, it may exacerbate them by fostering a false sense of security. These results highlight the importance of considering the interaction between personality traits and cognitive abilities in driver assessment and safety interventions.

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Topics

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• sensation seeking
• risk taking
• human error taxonomy
• sex gender
• inattentional change blindness
• useful field of view

Information type

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• Empirical Findings: behavioral performance data, observational prevalence
• Theoretical Contribution: theory or model