PTSD symptoms, driving stress, and anxious driving behavior among novice drivers

The present study aimed to evaluate how PTSD symptomatology and general daily stress predict anxious driving behavior. A sample of 119 drivers in their first year since obtaining a driving license who were implicated in a minor or major car crash (caused by them or as a victim/witness) in the last year participated in this study (50.9% men, Mage = 23.78, SD = 5.47). The participants completed scales for measuring PTSD symptoms, driving stress dimensions (i.e., aggression, dislike of driving, hazard monitoring, proneness to fatigue, and thrill-seeking), and anxious driving behavior dimensions (i.e., performance deficits, exaggerated safety behavior, and hostile behavior). The results indicated that aggression positively predicted hostile behavior, while dislike of driving was a positive predictor for performance deficits and a negative predictor for hostile behavior. Thrill-seeking and proneness to fatigue positively predicted performance deficits. The theoretical and practical implications of these results are discussed.