Antecedents of Distracted Driving: Role of Cognitive Failures

Graduate #97
Discipline: Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences
Subcategory: Social Sciences/Psychology/Economics

Corliss Best - Savannah State University
Co-Author(s): N/A

Distracted driving is a result of attention diversion from the main stream activity of driving. Here could be several reasons for distraction, which include adjusting a radio, accessing the multimedia center of the car, using navigation system, talking to passengers, watching a video, grooming, and reading. The goal of the proposed project is to identify elements that may impact teenagers and young drivers’ (under 25 years of age) perceptions of following laws. The premises/hypotheses of the study is to find a positive relationship between the big-five personality traits and cognitive failures (which relates to minor mistakes which everyone makes from time to time, but some of which happen more often than others) along with cognitive failures and distracted driving. The conceptual model displays the big-five personality traits influence the mediator variable, cognitive failures; in turn, the variable cognitive failures influences distracted driving. In order to measure the distracted driving, two specific sub-constructs are used: texting while driving (TWD) and distraction due to use of technology in the car (navigation and center console to name a few). It is believed that this empirical research study will show that cognitive failures has a significant role to play that influences distracted driving. Additionally, the big-five personality traits (openness, conscientiousness, extroversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism) have a definite role to play on distracted driving. Lastly, frequency of involvement in distracted driving may also influence distracted driving.

Not Submitted

Funder Acknowledgement(s): National Science Foundation

Faculty Advisor: Suman Niranjan, niranjans@savannahstate.edu

Role: I conducted research with my research mentor/advisor, Dr. Suman Niranjan during various stages of the project. I assisted with crafting the following parts: research design, literature review, and survey questions. I will also be involved in the survey analysis using advanced statistical methods.