Studies conducted within the scope of traffic psychology show that the human factor is the most important factor in traffic accidents (Sümer ve Özkan, 2002; Şehirli, 2000; Türkoğlu ve Eldoğan, 2002). It is important for traffic safety to address the relationships between personality traits that are risky in traffic, driving styles, and psychological symptoms. In this study, the relationship between psychological symptoms and sensation seeking, which is related to negative outcomes in traffic, was investigated. A total of 148 drivers (70 women and 78 men) between the ages of 19 and 65 (M = 29.43, SS = 10.21) participated in the study. Brief Symptom Inventory, Driver Thrill-Seeking Scale, and demographic information form were used in the study. According to the hierarchical regression analysis results, anxiety was negatively related to calm driving style and positively associated with speed-oriented driving. In addition, female drivers reported calmer driving style, while men reported that they had a more driving style characterized by speed-orient and power-driven from the vehicle. In the discussion of the findings, it was emphasized that the relationship between psychological symptoms and driver thrill-seeking should be taken into consideration while evaluating the driver behavior.
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)
CORE (COnnecting REpositories)