Course Content 5 — Behavior Analysis Based on Aptitude Test Results

1. Driving and Personality

1. Personality Apparent in Driving

Even with the same driving skills, how a person drives is different for each individual. This is because an individual driver's personality and habits have a large effect on driving.

2. Persons Who Cause Traffic Accidents, Persons Who Don't

There is known to be a correspondence between whether a driver commits traffic violations or causes traffic accidents and his/her personality and habits. Some drivers are accident-free and violation-free for many years, while others commit traffic violations and cause traffic accidents repeatedly many times in 1 year.

Reference — Multiple-accident drivers exist

The graph at right is a result of research into how many traffic accidents were caused at a company in 2 years. Though driving under the same conditions, some drivers cause traffic accidents multiple times, and others do not cause any. Further, most of the traffic accidents were caused by drivers who caused traffic accidents multiple times.

(According to resources from the National Research Institute of Police Science)

Number of drivers (58 people in total) Number of accidents (109 cases in total)
17 people (29.3%) — 0 times 13 cases (11.9%)
13 people (22.4%) — 1 time 44 cases (40.4%)
17 people (29.3%) — 2 to 3 times 33 cases (30.3%)
8 people (13.8%) — 4 to 5 times 19 cases (17.4%)
3 people (5.2%) — 6 times or more

2. Driving Aptitude Test

A way of finding out one's own personality and habits is to be watched by another person while driving, however, undergoing a driving aptitude test administered by a professional will provide more accurate knowledge of movements, actions, and personality that are deeply connected to driving. Driving aptitude tests include the National Police Agency Driving Aptitude Test Type K which is currently administered at many driving schools.

Reference — Types of driving aptitude tests

The driving aptitude test is a type of psychological test. Psychological testing is a method devised to scientifically assess individual characteristics such as personality and is used in fields such as education, medicine, and human resources. National Police Agency Driving Aptitude Test Type K and OD Safety Test are some examples.

National Police Agency Driving Aptitude Test Type K This was developed based on results of research into the personality and habits of drivers who frequently commit traffic violations or cause traffic accidents.

OD Safety Test This comprehensively diagnoses a person's fitness for safe driving from the four perspectives of motor function, health and maturity, personality characteristics, and driving manners.

3. Using the Result of the Driving Aptitude Test for Driving, etc.

1. Characteristics and driving by type

(according to National Police Agency Driving Aptitude Test Type K)

1. A person who is slow at judging conditions

Someone who is not good at quickly judging the surrounding conditions. They could act without thinking thoroughly when proceeding through an intersection with heavy traffic or on roads with many pedestrians and bicycles. It is dangerous to act on speculation in complicated conditions. Drive while recalling what you learned in driving lessons. It is important to perceive where the potential hazards are and take appropriate action in response to the hazard.

2. A person who can move quickly but lacks precision

Someone who could be said to be active at anything. In most cases, they are good at driving and travel briskly. However, once driving becomes familiar, they could become sloppy. Once in a while, self-check whether you are executing each maneuver with precision. Also, pay attention to surrounding conditions and pause before starting an action.

3. A person with a neurotic tendency

A person who can be attentive to detail. However, attention to too much detail could cause them to overlook important things, or thinking about what happened could cause them to drive inattentively. As a beginner, it is common to focus the nerves on driving. While paying balanced attention to the surrounding conditions, don't be too tense and drive in a relaxed manner.

4. A person prone to mood swings

A person whose moods change wildly. In particular, when the mood is down, both mental sharpness and response of the body decline, making it impossible to perform at the usual capacity. At such times, avoid driving or drive after taking a mental break and returning to a normal mood.

5. A person with an aggressive tendency

A person with a strong sense of justice. However, they tend to be judgmental of others. Even if laws and regulations give you the right of way, it does not give you the right to assert it to any extent. Some drivers are not good at driving, and people make mistakes at times. It is important to be in a frame of mind that is willing to yield.

6. A person with a self-centered tendency

Someone who always acts at their own pace. However, they could be lacking in attention to their surroundings. Someone could feel that they understand the feelings of pedestrians or other drivers, but, in reality, they could be thinking something completely different. Once in a while, review whether actions could have disturbed other people.

Reference — OD Safety Test

Diagnoses four aspects required for safe driving: motor function, health and maturity, personality characteristics, and driving manners. The test result is categorized into one of four broad driving types based on an overall rating of degrees of "driving fitness" and "driving safety".

  1. Safe driving type — A person who is high in both driving fitness and driving safety. This does not mean that you will never cause an accident. Do not be caught off guard.
  2. Involved in accidents (tendency) type — A person who is high in driving safety but is low in driving fitness. Caution is required when driving requires compound maneuvers.
  3. Serious accident (tendency) type — A person who is high in driving fitness but low in driving safety. Endeavor to drive safely without putting too much trust in your driving skills.
  4. Multiple accidents and violations (tendency) type — A person who is low in both driving fitness and driving safety. Think about what kind of mental preparation is important and drive while paying detailed attention.

※ Even if categorized in the Safe driving type, the shaded area could change to other types, so caution is required.

(Example: Overall rating — Driving fitness 3, Driving safety D → Serious accident tendency type)

2. Mental States Leading to Hazards

It would be ideal to drive in a calm state at all times, but there could be times when a driver is irritated or feeling down. Special caution is required at such times.

1. Irritation

If something unpleasant happens before departure or if congestion prevents traveling as expected, this could lead to irritation. Irritation could result in speeding or decreased attention to other vehicles. This is very hazardous.

2. Worry

If there are any worries about the home, work, or school, a person could become inattentive while driving, or his/her attention could become scattered due to declining mood.

3. Familiarity and lapse of attention

Beginners drive cautiously, but familiarity tends to lead to distracted driving, so attention is required.

Reference — "Distracted driving" Refers to lack of tension while driving, such as thinking of other things or not being focused. It is important to be in good physical condition and to feel a good amount of tension when holding the steering wheel.

4. Overconfidence in driving skills, etc.

Drivers tend to think that they are good at driving and that they would never cause a traffic accident. However, such thinking is very hazardous. It is important to always drive with caution and humility.

5. Hurrying

When running late for school, work, or an appointment, drivers tend to choose hazardous driving behavior, such as speeding and ignoring red signals. It is important to act with ample time.

Reference — Defense mechanism

The human mind becomes unstable when its desires are not satisfied. The human mind has a mechanism to attempt to maintain its stability by satisfying other desires if a desire is not satisfied. This is called the mind's defense mechanism. Caution is required, as driving behaviors which manifest themselves as a result of the defense mechanism are often hazardous driving behaviors leading to traffic accidents. Some examples are speeding or traveling too close to another vehicle in an attempt to diffuse irritation.

Let's Try — Course Content 5 — Check your understanding with right/wrong questions.

(See page 275 for answers.)

  1. Being aware of one's fitness for driving is important to drive safely.
  2. People who get upset by being overtaken or get irritated at congestion when driving must be well aware of such a personality and must work to always keep a calm judgment and drive safely so that they do not cause unexpected accidents.

(正: right, 誤: wrong)