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| Driving Behavior |
| Saturday, May 29, 2004 |
| 1:00 PM–2:20 PM |
| Beacon D |
| Area: EAB |
| Chair: Chantay M. Dudley (University of Memphis) |
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| Participant Attrition in a Community-wide Courteous Driving Intervention |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| SARA R. RAYNE (University of Memphis), Takashi Hirota (Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University), Tim Lloyd (University of Memphis), Erica M. Van Arsdale (University of Memphis), Donna Baker (University of Memphis) |
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| Abstract: A study of attrition was conducted with regard to participation of drivers in a community research project designed to facilitate positive communication between drivers. This paper addresses trends of participant attrition from recruitment through training to the project's end. An initial sample size of 450 participants verbally committed to participate in the project. The sample size dropped by nearly half at the point of training and declined throughout the project until the final number of participants at the project’s end totaled less than 100. We examined relationships between retention rates and such variables as the methods of recruitment and number of times participants were contacted (e.g., reminders and attempts to reschedule “no shows”). Also, the effectiveness of monetary rewards and its impact on attrition rate trends were evaluated. A survey was administered to the final sample to see if there were any significant personality differences between those who completed the project and a normative sample (e.g., higher in consistency). The results have implications for the allocation of resources in large- scale community studies where a great many participants are necessary (e.g., funding for advertising and time spent recalling participants who verbally commit to projects). |
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| Epidemiological Study of Driving Behaviors in a Community Sample |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| TIM LLOYD (University of Memphis), Erica M. Van Arsdale (University of Memphis), Sara R. Rayne (University of Memphis), Chris S. Dula (University of Memphis) |
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| Abstract: Recently, a sample of 283 university students completed questionnaires assessing emotions and behavior related to driving. Of the sample, 60% admitted to occasionally losing their temper while driving, 79% were sometimes irritated by traffic jams and over 50% drove aggressively at times (Dula, 2003). Public uneasiness over driver aggression has risen over the past several years, as it has become an increasingly familiar danger on international roadways (e.g., James & Nahl, 2000; U.S. Department of Transportation, 1998). Driving behaviors have been variably labeled in the literature as risky, aggressive, or road rage. In order to bring consistency to the literature, driving behaviors that endanger others should be considered as lying on a behavioral spectrum of dangerous driving including: 1) intentional acts of aggression toward others, 2) negative emotions experienced while driving, and 3) risk-taking (Dula & Geller, in press). In this particular study, 194 community drivers filled out Driving Diary monitoring logs for 8 trips per week for up to 10 weeks. Driving Diaries were filled out at the end of trips and addressed various behaviors, events, and emotional experiences. This paper presents the epidemiological results of the driving behaviors reported by this large sample of drivers. |
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| The Effects of Emotions on Driving Behaviors |
| Domain: Applied Research |
| CHANTAY M. DUDLEY (University of Memphis), Donna Baker (University of Memphis), Sara R. Rayne (University of Memphis), Lisa Ahn (University of Memphis), Chris S. Dula (University of Memphis) |
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| Abstract: Aggressive driving has become an increasingly familiar danger on international roadways (e.g., James & Nahl, 2000; USDOT, 1998). Aggressive driving has traditionally encompassed an entire dangerous driving spectrum including risky driving without intent to harm, negative emotions experienced while driving, and actual aggressive behavior while driving where there is intent to harm another driver psychologically and/or physically (Dula & Geller, in press). The Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI) was created to measure drivers' self-reported propensity to drive dangerously. In this study, the DDDI Negative Emotions subscale was used to assess the relationships between a person's emotional experience while driving and actual driving behaviors. This paper focuses on analyzing the impact of drivers’ propensity to experience negative emotions on the road and drivers’ actual risky and aggressive driving behaviors. Additionally, the relationship between actual emotions experienced and actual driving behaviors was analyzed. Participants were taught how to gauge behaviors and emotional experiences while driving and instructed to fill out a checklist to report the occurrence of behaviors and emotions. The results of a step-wise regression analysis of predictors of aggressive and risky driving will be presented and the implications discussed. |
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