Differentiating risky and aggressive driving: Further support of the internal validity of the Dula Dangerous Driving Index

• Published in: Accident analysis and prevention 2012-03, Vol.45, p.620-627
• Main Authors: Richer, Isabelle, Bergeron, Jacques
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Accident analysis; Accidents, Traffic - prevention & control; Accidents, Traffic - psychology; Adolescent; Adult; Aggression - psychology; Aggressive driving; Arousal; Automobile Driving - psychology; Awareness; Cognition; Computer Simulation; Consistency; Cross-Cultural Comparison; Dangerous; Dangerous driving; Driving simulator; Emotions; Factorial analysis; Female; France; Humans; Male; Males; Personality; Personality Assessment - statistics & numerical data; Psychometric validation; Psychometrics - statistics & numerical data; Reproducibility of Results; Risk-Taking; Safety; Simulation; Tasks; Translating; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0001-4575; 1879-2057
• DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2011.09.014

► We validated a French version of the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI). ► The instrument presents a good internal consistency. ► Results support the theoretical structure and the validity of the DDDI. ► Risky and aggressive driving are associated with different psychological correlates. ► The study underscores the importance of differentiating risky and aggressive driving. The Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI) is a cross-cultural validated instrument that measures simultaneously various manifestations of behaviours, cognitions, and affects associated with dangerous driving. The aims of the study were to translate the DDDI into French and then to verify the validity and reliability of the French version of the scale by means of observed behaviours on a driving simulator, and of self-reported measures of driving behaviours, personality and sociodemographic characteristics. A first sample of 395 drivers completed self-reported questionnaires and a second sample of 75 male drivers also completed tasks on a driving simulator. A confirmatory factorial analysis supported the internal validity of the scale. Findings also show that the French version of the DDDI yields good internal consistency, concomitant and convergent validity for each subscale (risky driving, negative cognitive/emotional driving and aggressive driving) and total score. The scale was useful to differentiate sociodemographic and psychological profiles associated with each subscale.