Drivers were asked some questions about the influence of accidents on their driving. Out of a sample of 160 drivers, 112 said they had seen an accident in which someone was hurt or a vehicle badly damaged, 60 said that they knew someone personally who had been involved in such an accident during the previous year and 46 said that they had at some time been involved in such an accident themselves. When asked what effects these experiences had had on their driving, few reported that these had made their driving worse and effects of this kind normally only lasted for a very short time. Some reported that such experiences did not affect their driving. More said that it had improved their driving, and such effects tended to last for longer. Where the driver was actually involved in an accident, it was reported that it was somewhat more likely that driving would be improved and the effects tended to last for longer. Some forms of driver training and road safety publicity draw attention to accidents and the relevance of these data to such approaches is discussed. (Author/publisher)
Abstract