Driving anxiety that has developed following crashes has been studied relatively frequently, but anxiety per se and its effects on driving has not as yet garnered much attention in the literature. The current study included 1121 participants and found higher levels of general anxiety were related to a wide variety of dangerous driving behaviors. While there were clear and expected sex differences on many dangerous driving variables, there were still more such differences with regard to anxiety levels and independent of sex, higher levels of anxiety were associated with greater levels of dangerous driving. Of particular import, it was found that the high anxiety group had caused significantly more crashes and engaged in more DUI episodes than the low and/or medium anxiety groups. Taken as a whole, the results suggest there is a tremendous need for more research in the area of anxiety and dangerous driving and that interventions for highly anxious drivers may well be warranted.

This article enhances our knowledge of general strain theory (GST) by applying it to the context of traffic delinquency. It does so by first describing and confirming the development of a social-psychological measure allowing for a test of GST. Structural regression analysis is subsequently employed to test the theory within this context across a range of delinquent driving behaviors. Tests indicate that strain experienced while operating a motor vehicle consists of distinct contexts that when considered separately both enhance our understanding of GST and spell policy implications for state-directed interventions. Implications for future GST testing, measurement, and application are also discussed.

The Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI) was created to measure drivers' self-reported propensity to drive dangerously (Dula & Ballard, in press). In the early stages of development, the DDDI and each of its subscales (Dangerous Driving Total, Aggressive Driving, Negative Emotional Driving, and Risky Driving) were found to have strong internal reliability (alphas from .83 to .92), and there was evidence of construct validity. In Study One, the alpha coefficient of .91 for the DDDI Total scale indicated excellent internal reliability for the measure and good internal reliability was demonstrated for its subscales with coefficient alphas equal to .81 for the DDDI Risky Driving subscale, .79 for the DDDI Negative Emotional subscale, and the DDDI Aggressive Driving subscale. Additionally, convergent and divergent validity was shown for the DDDI, but evidence was weaker for the validity of the separate subscales. Factor analysis demonstrated that the DDDI seemed to measure a unitary construct. In Study Two, coefficients of stability were generated from a four-week test-retest procedure, which were .76 for the DDDI Risky Driving subscale, .68 for the DDDI Negative Emotional subscale, .55 for the DDDI Aggressive Driving subscale, and .73 for the DDDI Total. In Study Three, the percentage of variance accounted for in criterion variables by different models ranged from 13.6% to 47.7%, where the DDDI Negative Emotional and DDDI Total scales frequently accounted for large portions of variance. In Study Four, the percent of variance accounted for in criterion variables by different models ranged from 22.0% to 65.6%, where some of the DDDI scales were regularly found to account for significant variance. Thus, it was concluded that the DDDI is a measure with high levels of internal reliability and reasonable stability across time, and that face, construct, and predictive validity was demonstrated. However, the evidence in support of the present division of subscales was weak, though present. Therefore, should further data fail to produce more substantial evidence for the validity of the DDDI subscales, a singular dangerous driving measure would be warranted, and the number of items should be shortened as guided by results from factorial analysis. / Ph. D.

This study followed a qualitative research approach, and semi-structured interviews regarding the subject matter were conducted with the knowledgeable and experienced respondents in the Gauteng traffic-related departments. A literature review was also conducted to provide a comprehensive understanding of the research problem in both local and international context. The research stresses the fact that motorists are continuing to lose their lives on Gauteng province, as a result of violent traffic disputes, therefore people suffer financial, physical, psychological as well as social effects as a consequence of such actions. The findings revealed that all the traffic stakeholders are working cooperatively towards implementing the crime prevention strategic plans, but for policing road rage in particular there is no specific strategy in action. In addition, this study reveals that it is impossible for the traffic police to curb road rage incidents because the latter occur as a result of unpredictable human behavior. / Police Practice / M. Tech. (Policing)

This study followed a qualitative research approach, and semi-structured interviews regarding the subject matter were conducted with the knowledgeable and experienced respondents in the Gauteng traffic-related departments. A literature review was also conducted to provide a comprehensive understanding of the research problem in both local and international context. The research stresses the fact that motorists are continuing to lose their lives on Gauteng province, as a result of violent traffic disputes, therefore people suffer financial, physical, psychological as well as social effects as a consequence of such actions. The findings revealed that all the traffic stakeholders are working cooperatively towards implementing the crime prevention strategic plans, but for policing road rage in particular there is no specific strategy in action. In addition, this study reveals that it is impossible for the traffic police to curb road rage incidents because the latter occur as a result of unpredictable human behavior. / Police Practice / M. Tech. (Policing)

Thesis (MA (Theol.))-University of Pretoria, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.