It’s all in the mind: The relationship between mindfulness and nomophobia on technology engagement while driving and aberrant driving behaviours

• Published in: Transportation research. Part F, Traffic psychology and behaviour Traffic psychology and behaviour, 2022-04, Vol.86, p.252-262
• Main Authors: Koppel, Sjaan, Stephens, Amanda N., Kaviani, Fareed, Peiris, Sujanie, Young, Kristie L., Chambers, Richard, Hassed, Craig
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Aberration; Automobile drivers; Automobile driving; Crashes; Distraction; Driver behavior; Driver behaviour; Electronic devices; Mindfulness; Multivariate statistical analysis; Nomophobia; Road safety; Technology adoption; Traffic accidents; Traffic accidents & safety
• ISSN: 1369-8478; 1873-5517
• DOI: 10.1016/j.trf.2022.03.002

•Technology engagement while driving can significantly increase crash risk.•Survey investigated relationship between mindfulness and nomophobia on technology engagement and aberrant driving.•Mindfulness was negatively related to nomophobia, engagement with technology and aberrant driving behaviours.•Mindfulness may reduce nomophobia, engagement with technology, and dangerous driving behaviours associated with crash risk. This study investigated the relationship between mindfulness and nomophobia on technology engagement while driving and aberrant driving behaviours. Nine hundred and ninety participants completed an online survey (Female: 68.6%; Age: M = 51.2 years, SD = 15.7, Range = 18.0–84.0 years) that assessed mindfulness, nomophobia, technology engagement while driving, aberrant driving behaviour, and self-reported crashes and infringements during the past two years. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to examine the relationships between mindfulness and nomophobia, on one hand, with self-reported engagement with technology while driving and general aberrant driving behaviours (combination of errors, lapses and violations) on the other. The results of the SEM showed that, as expected, mindfulness shared negative relationships with nomophobia, engagement with technology and aberrant driving behaviours, while all other relationships were positive. In terms of engagement with technology, there were direct and indirect paths between nomophobia and mindfulness and engagement with technology. The results of this study demonstrate the positive influence mindfulness can have on nomophobia, engagement with technology while driving, and dangerous driving behaviours that have been associated with crash risk. Mindfulness practices may reduce the effect of nomophobia on engagement with technology while driving and increased dangerous behaviours as a result. This will be increasingly important as modern work and social practices encourage people to increasingly use the phone while driving, and the technology within smart devices, and connectivity of these to the vehicle, increase. More research is needed to understand whether mindfulness-based interventions can reduce nomophobia, and thereby improve driving behaviours and reduce crash rates.