The present study is concerned with the impact of psychological factors, particularly character traits and attitudes, on the traffic accident patterns of young drivers. 101 drivers in Iceland and Sweden completed a questionnaire consisting of 206 questions and statements. Factor analysis was used to identify and eliminate non-significant test items, leaving 70 statements defining 14 distinct traits. Age and sex were shown to affect the frequency of traffic accidents and offences, the youngest male drivers representing the highest risk group. The relation of psychological traits to other variables is described as referring to seven groups of drivers, four "safe" and three "unsafe", each defined by a combination of distinct characteristics. While superficially, a driver's age and sex may appear to be the chief determinants of the risk of accidents and offences, this risk is, firstly, determined by the driver's traffic exposure and experience, and secondly, by "chronic" and "tonic" traits, some of which are linked to age and sex. For the covering abstract see ITRD E113725 (C 22328 CD-ROM).
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