What Kind of Driver Are You?
Reckless, anxious, angry or patient - usually some of each
Most drivers believe they are better than average, which cannot be true of most drivers. A more useful question is how you drive: the habits and moods you bring into the car. Researchers who built the best-known driving style questionnaire found four broad styles that sit side by side in the same person. You can be careful most of the time and still lose your temper at a roundabout.
Before you start There are no right answers. Pick what is usually true for you, not what sounds best.
Answer about how you actually drive, not how you drove in your driving test. If you drive rarely, think about the last few journeys.
What it measures
The four broad driving styles of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory: reckless and careless (speed, thrill-seeking, distraction), anxious (tension and worry at the wheel), angry and hostile (irritation and aggression towards other drivers) and patient and careful (planning, keeping margins). Unlike the risk-taking test on the site, which covers risk across many areas of life, this looks only at what you do on the road.
Based on: Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (Taubman-Ben-Ari, Mikulincer & Gillath, 2004)
Possible results
Reckless and careless
Speed, thrill-seeking and letting attention drift from the road.
Anxious
Tension, worry and self-doubt at the wheel.
Angry and hostile
Irritation with other drivers and acting on it - horn, lights, gestures.
Patient and careful
Planning ahead, keeping safe margins and staying calm with others.
Common questions
Do men and women drive differently?
On average, yes, in style if not in skill. In the research using this inventory, men tend to score higher on the reckless and angry styles and women higher on the anxious and careful ones. A ten-year review found gender was one of the few background factors that consistently shaped driving style - but the differences are averages and the overlap between individuals is large.
Can you change your driving style?
The styles look fairly stable, but behaviour on the road can change with the right changes around it. Leaving earlier removes much of the pressure behind speeding and anger; putting the phone out of reach removes most distraction; practice in specific situations reduces anxiety. Feedback also helps: drivers who get objective information about their own driving tend to adjust.
Is an anxious driver a dangerous driver?
Not in the way a reckless one is. Anxious drivers rarely speed or take chances, but worry uses up attention, which can lead to hesitation and small errors. In the research the anxious style sits between the risky styles and the careful one. For most people, confidence built through gradual practice is enough to bring it down.
Sources
- Taubman-Ben-Ari, O., Mikulincer, M., & Gillath, O. (2004). The multidimensional driving style inventory - scale construct and validation. Accident Analysis & Prevention. doi:10.1016/S0001-4575(03)00010-1
- Taubman-Ben-Ari, O., & Skvirsky, V. (2016). The multidimensional driving style inventory a decade later: Review of the literature and re-evaluation of the scale. Accident Analysis & Prevention. doi:10.1016/j.aap.2016.04.038
An honest note The items are Quinthea's own wording, adapted from the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory, so scores cannot be compared with its norms. Self-reports of driving are flattering: people underreport speeding and distraction. The inventory was developed in Israel and road cultures differ. This says nothing about your legal fitness to drive. If fear of driving stops you from doing things you need to, a driving instructor or psychologist can help.
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