TY - JOUR

T1 - Emotional states of drivers and the impact on speed, acceleration and traffic violations - A simulator study

AU - Roidl, Ernst

AU - Frehse, Berit

AU - Höger, Rainer

PY - 2014/9

Y1 - 2014/9

N2 - Maladjusted driving, such as aggressive driving and delayed reactions, is seen as one cause of traffic accidents. Such behavioural patterns could be influenced by strong emotions in the driver. The causes of emotions in traffic are divided into two distinct classes: personal factors and properties of the specific driving situation. In traffic situations, various appraisal factors are responsible for the nature and intensity of experienced emotions. These include whether another driver was accountable, whether goals were blocked and whether progress and safety were affected. In a simulator study, seventy-nine participants took part in four traffic situations which each elicited a different emotion. Each situation had critical elements (e.g. slow car, obstacle on the street) based on combinations of the appraisal factors. Driving parameters such as velocity, acceleration, and speeding, together with the experienced emotions, were recorded. Results indicate that anger leads to stronger acceleration and higher speeds even for 2 km beyond the emotion-eliciting event. Anxiety and contempt yielded similar but weaker effects, yet showed the same negative and dangerous driving pattern as anger. Fright correlated with stronger braking momentum and lower speeds directly after the critical event.

AB - Maladjusted driving, such as aggressive driving and delayed reactions, is seen as one cause of traffic accidents. Such behavioural patterns could be influenced by strong emotions in the driver. The causes of emotions in traffic are divided into two distinct classes: personal factors and properties of the specific driving situation. In traffic situations, various appraisal factors are responsible for the nature and intensity of experienced emotions. These include whether another driver was accountable, whether goals were blocked and whether progress and safety were affected. In a simulator study, seventy-nine participants took part in four traffic situations which each elicited a different emotion. Each situation had critical elements (e.g. slow car, obstacle on the street) based on combinations of the appraisal factors. Driving parameters such as velocity, acceleration, and speeding, together with the experienced emotions, were recorded. Results indicate that anger leads to stronger acceleration and higher speeds even for 2 km beyond the emotion-eliciting event. Anxiety and contempt yielded similar but weaker effects, yet showed the same negative and dangerous driving pattern as anger. Fright correlated with stronger braking momentum and lower speeds directly after the critical event.

KW - Business psychology

KW - anger

KW - Anxiety

KW - Appraisal theory

KW - Contempt

KW - Driving performance

KW - Fright

KW - Anger

KW - Anxiety

KW - Appraisal theory

KW - Contempt

KW - Driving performance

KW - Fright

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84901027055&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.aap.2014.04.010

DO - 10.1016/j.aap.2014.04.010

M3 - Journal articles

C2 - 24836476

AN - SCOPUS:84901027055

VL - 70

SP - 282

EP - 292

JO - Accident Analysis and Prevention

JF - Accident Analysis and Prevention

SN - 0001-4575

ER -