Prevention of road accidents in non-expert drivers: Theory of Mind and driving style
DOI: 10.1016/j.ssci.2024.106516
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Summary
This study investigates the relationship between Theory of Mind (ToM) and driving style in non-expert drivers, aiming to understand how cognitive and affective ToM influences road safety and accident prevention. Motivated by the high accident rates among young, inexperienced drivers and the limitations of current autonomous vehicle systems in predicting human behavior, the research hypothesizes that higher ToM abilities correlate with better risk assessment and safer driving behaviors. The study specifically examines whether driving style mediates the link between ToM and the ability to predict accident probability and severity. The methodology involved 207 non-expert drivers (mean age 22.19, predominantly female) who completed assessments for Cognitive ToM using the Short Story Task and Affective ToM using the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Test. Participants also completed the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory to evaluate eight distinct driving styles (e.g., risky, angry, careful) and the Manchester Driver Behaviour Questionnaire to measure actual driving behaviors, including errors, lapses, and violations. Additionally, participants viewed 12 edited videos depicting potential road accidents involving cars, motorcycles, heavy vehicles, and pedestrians, rating the probability of a crash and the level of danger in each scenario. Statistical analysis utilized mediation models to test the hypothesized relationships. The results demonstrated a significant relationship between ToM and the reduction of road accidents, mediated by driving style. Specifically, Cognitive ToM played a crucial role in assessing the probability of risky and dangerous situations, particularly for drivers exhibiting Risky and Angry driving styles. Higher Cognitive ToM scores were associated with a greater ability to accurately predict accident probability and severity. However, the study found that Cognitive ToM did not significantly affect the prediction of actual driving behaviors, such as violations or errors, as measured by the questionnaires. Affective ToM did not show the same mediating effects in the primary models. The findings suggest that while Cognitive ToM enhances a driver’s ability to perceive and assess risks in traffic scenarios, it does not necessarily translate into safer self-reported driving behaviors. The authors discuss these results within the Task-Capability Interface and Embodied Simulation frameworks, highlighting the importance of integrating ToM considerations into drive-assistance systems. By accounting for both Cognitive ToM and specific driving styles, such systems could better predict and mitigate risks posed by non-expert drivers, ultimately improving road safety.
Key finding
Cognitive Theory of Mind significantly mediates the assessment of accident probability and danger in risky and angry driving styles, but it does not significantly predict actual driving behaviors.
Methodology
lab_experiment
Sample size: 207
Provenance
The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via scout_discovery on 2026-05-08 (2 acquisition events logged).
| Stage | Outcome | Tool | Model | Prompt | Attempts | Completed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| discover | partial | scout | — | — | 2 | 2026-05-08 |
| archive | success | openalex | — | — | 8 | 2026-06-06 |
| extract | success | cached | — | — | 3 | 2026-06-10 |
| clean | success | clean | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-07 |
| chunk | success | chunk | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-07 |
| embed | success | embed | Qwen/Qwen3-Embedding-8B | — | 1 | 2026-06-07 |
| enrich | failed | — | — | — | 4 | 2026-07-02 |
| promote | success | — | — | — | 1 | 2026-06-04 |
| summarize | success | llm | qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant | summ-v5 | 2 | 2026-06-10 |
| tag | success | vector_similarity | — | — | 15 | 2026-06-11 |
| verify | success | — | — | — | 2 | 2026-06-10 |
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.
- mental model of traffic
- human error taxonomy
- decision making risk perception
- risk taking
- situational awareness
- novice drivers
Information type
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- Methodological Resource: tool software
- Theoretical Contribution: theory or model, computational model