The categorisation of drivers in relation to boredom

Transportation Planning and Technology (Impact Factor: 0.51). 02/2011; 34(1):51-69. DOI: 10.1080/03081060.2011.530829


This paper develops the concept of driver boredom by utilising a cluster analysis to describe different types of driver. A two-step cluster analysis of a 49-item questionnaire measuring driver boredom attitudes and perceptions was performed on 1563 UK drivers, yielding four groups, labelled as ‘young, inattentive and dangerous’, ‘enthusiastic and attentive’, ‘slow and unwilling’ and ‘safe and experienced’. These clusters are compared to ascertain personality and affect differences and whether or not there are different crash and penalty histories. The significant differences found enable the clusters to be seen in wider terms than simply boredom; they are considered in terms of theories of flow and arousal and also in light of previous attempts to classify driver types. This paper reports analyses that are part of a larger study of driver boredom.

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