The dangers associated with using smartphones while driving are well known (increased risks of accidents and endangering the lives of others in particular), and the Highway Code severely punishes this practice. This does not prevent many drivers from checking their phone on the road. Researchers have tried to find out the causes in a study published in the scientific journal Plos One.
Fear of missing interesting content
Participants in this research included 989 German drivers with an average age of 26. The latter responded to a questionnaire which attempted to establish their psychological profile and to link it to their driving behavior.
The results confirmed the scientists’ hypotheses. So people who are afraid of missing out are much more likely to use their smartphones. This comes from the fact that they are convinced that they are missing out on an interesting experience and content, which pushes them to act in this way.
Likewise, the so-called dark triad personality traits, well known in psychology, are singled out. These are narcissism, Machiavellianism and psychopathy. The latter were all more likely to use phones while driving compared to individuals with lower levels of these traits.
Quoted by PsyPostthe authors of the study conclude:
Overall, problematic smartphone use is a strong predictor, regardless of Dark Triad personality traits. Since this factor can be modified more easily than personality, problematic smartphone use should be targeted in public safety interventions, driver training and medical-psychological assessment of driving fitness imposed by the court.
They add: “This could be a good strategy to help people reduce their problematic smartphone use in daily life, which should indirectly decrease the chances of using their phone on the road and prevent accidents and fatalities”.
A global trend
As a reminder, this is a massive and worrying phenomenon. To cite just one example, according to a survey carried out in the United Kingdom by the site Carmats.co.uk, more than a quarter of members of generation Z (people born between 1997 and 2012) indicated that they felt the urge to check their phone after less than 15 minutes of driving.
All drivers are affected, and more than a third of respondents said they regularly think about checking their smartphones while driving. More information on the dangers of this practice in our previous article here.
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