Factors Affecting Perceived and Observed Aggressive Driving Behavior: An Empirical Analysis of Driver Fatigue, and Distracted Driving

Fountas, Grigorios; Pantangi, Sarvani Sonduru; Ahmed, Sheikh Shahriar; Eker, Ugur; Anastasopoulos, Panagiotis Ch. · 2019 · ROSA P / Transportation Informatics University Transportation Center

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Summary

This study investigates the determinants of both perceived (self-reported) and observed (actual) aggressive driving behavior, specifically examining how these determinants vary under conditions of driver fatigue, distraction, and gender. The research is motivated by the discrepancy between drivers' self-perceptions of their behavior and their actual driving patterns, a gap that complicates traffic safety interventions. Aggressive driving is a primary contributor to high-severity accidents, yet previous research has not thoroughly analyzed how factors like fatigue, internal/external distractions (e.g., rushing, music, logical problems), and gender influence the divergence between perceived and observed aggression. The authors utilized data from driving simulation experiments involving 41 participants from the University at Buffalo. Participants drove a 4-mile route under various scenarios, including baseline conditions and induced distractions such as rushing to a destination, listening to music, or solving logical problems. Data included survey responses regarding socio-demographics, driving history, and self-reported fatigue, as well as moderator-identified observed aggressive incidents (e.g., tailgating, speeding, unsafe lane changes). To address unobserved heterogeneity and the correlation between perceived and observed behaviors, the study employed a correlated grouped random parameters bivariate probit modeling framework. Separate models were estimated for fatigued versus non-fatigued, distracted versus non-distracted, and male versus female drivers. The results indicate that the effects of socio-demographic and behavioral factors on aggressive driving vary significantly across these groups in both magnitude and direction. For instance, among fatigued drivers, those from suburban or rural backgrounds were significantly less likely to drive aggressively, potentially due to heightened alertness developed from navigating infrastructure limitations. Conversely, fatigue distorted perceptual mechanisms; fatigued participants with a history of traffic violations were less likely to perceive their driving as aggressive, despite exhibiting such behavior. In contrast, non-fatigued Asian participants were less likely to perceive their driving as aggressive, while those with no accident history were more likely to correctly perceive their aggressive actions. The analysis also revealed significant correlations in unobserved characteristics, highlighting the complexity of driving decision mechanisms when fundamental sources of aggression are present. The study concludes that the determinants of perceived and observed aggressive driving are not uniform and are heavily influenced by driver state and demographics. The findings underscore the importance of accounting for unobserved heterogeneity and the interrelationship between perception and action in traffic safety research. By identifying how fatigue and distraction alter the alignment between self-perception and actual behavior, the research provides critical insights for developing targeted interventions and advanced driver assistance systems that address the specific behavioral discrepancies of different driver populations.

Key finding

Driver fatigue distorts the perceptual mechanism, making fatigued drivers significantly less likely to perceive their own aggressive driving behavior compared to non-fatigued drivers.

Methodology

simulator

Sample size: 41

Provenance

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Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

Ranked by relevance to this paper. Hover a topic for its definition.

• aggressive driving
• sex gender
• cultural cross national
• anger road rage
• risk taking
• traffic density

Information type

What kind of knowledge this paper contributes, grouped by family — independent of topic (what it is about) and method (how it was studied).

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