Driver psychology — why do we drive the way we drive?
Our driving behaviour is predictable and measurable. Learn the three types of driving errors from the DBQ and what psychology tells us about risky driving.
Why do we drive recklessly?
Each year around 2,000 people die on Polish roads. Statistics show that 94% of road accidents have human causes — errors, violations or inattention. But why do we know the rules and still break them?
The answer lies in psychology.
Three types of driving behaviour (DBQ)
In 1990, James Reason and his team developed the Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) — the standard instrument in traffic psychology research. DBQ identifies three behavioural categories: Errors (unintended mistakes), Violations (deliberate rule-breaking), and Lapses (attention and memory failures).
Research on tens of thousands of drivers shows risky driving is more common in: men under 30; people high in sensation-seeking; those with narcissistic and impulsive tendencies; professional drivers under time pressure.
Take our free Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) to assess your own error, violation and lapse profile. 20 questions, instant results. Free and anonymous.
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