A study of German car drivers found that 61% of them admit to using smartphone while driving at least occasionally. Individuals with a stronger fear of missing out, problematic smartphone use, and Dark Triad personality traits were more likely to use their smartphones while driving. The research was published in PLOS ONE.
Data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for 2019 show that 3,142 people were killed in the U.S. alone in accidents involving distracted drivers. Of these deaths, 422 occurred in crashes where at least one driver was distracted by a phone. Drivers involved in these crashes were disproportionately often younger individuals. Fifty-six percent of drivers, who were distracted by their phones, were up to 34 years of age.
These data indicate that distracted driving due to problematic smartphone use is a serious issue among young people. In one survey of individuals between 18 and 29 years of age, 90% reported that they sometimes text while driving and 50% even text on the highway.
Study author Matthias F. C. Hudecek and his colleagues wanted to explore how problematic smartphone use, fear of missing out, and Dark Triad personality traits are associated with smartphone use while driving.
Problematic smartphone use refers to excessive or compulsive use of smartphones, which can interfere with daily activities, responsibilities, and personal relationships. Fear of missing out is an anxiety that arises from the belief that others may be having rewarding experiences from which one is absent, often exacerbated by social media. The Dark Triad traits consist of narcissism, Machiavellianism, and psychopathy, which are personality traits associated with a lack of empathy, manipulativeness, and a focus on personal gain often at the expense of others.
The study authors hypothesized that individuals with high levels of these psychological characteristics would be more likely to use their smartphones while driving. They also hypothesized that individuals with higher levels of fear of missing out would be more prone to problematic smartphone use, and that individuals with pronounced Dark Triad traits would have more traffic offense penalties.
The study authors searched the scientific literature for studies examining these associations and found little evidence. Consequently, they decided to conduct their own study.
The study participants included 989 German car drivers, of whom 73% were women. Their average age was 26 years, and 95% had German citizenship. Seventeen percent had a university education, and 57% had attained a university entrance qualification. Forty-three percent of participants were employed, and 51% were students.
Participants completed a survey in which they answered questions about car usage and driving behavior, including the number of traffic offense penalties, smartphone use, and screen time. The survey also included assessments of smartphone use while driving (a set of questions designed by study authors), problematic smartphone use (the Short Version of the Problematic Mobile Phone Use Questionnaire – PMPUQ-SV), fear of missing out (the Fear of Missing Out Scale), and Dark Triad personality traits (the Short Dark Triad scale – SD3).
Results indicated that 61% of study participants reported that they use a smartphone while driving at least occasionally. Seventeen percent admitted to committing a penalized traffic offense within the past 12 months.
Participants with stronger fear of missing out, those with problematic smartphone use, and those with more pronounced Dark Triad personality traits were all more likely to use smartphones while driving compared to individuals with lower levels of these traits.
Individuals with more pronounced psychopathy tended to have more traffic offenses in the past 12 months. Additionally, individuals with a higher fear of missing out were more likely to show problematic smartphone use patterns.
“Overall, PSU [problematic smartphone use] is an excellent predictor regardless of the Dark Triad personality traits. Since this factor can be changed more easily than personality, PSU should be targeted in public safety interventions, driving training, and court-mandated medical-psychological assessment of driver fitness. It might be a good strategy to help people reduce their PSU in everyday life, which should indirectly decrease the chances of using their phones on the road and prevent accidents and fatal crashes,” the study authors conclude.
The study sheds light on the psychological underpinnings of smartphone use while driving. However, it also has limitations that need to be taken into account. Notably, the design of the study does not allow any cause-and-effect conclusions to be drawn from the results. Additionally, the study was conducted solely on German drivers. Results on individuals from other cultures might not be the same.
The paper, “Surfing in the streets: How problematic smartphone use, fear of missing out, and antisocial personality traits are linked to driving behavior,” was authored by Matthias F. C. Hudecek, Simon Lemster, Peter Fischer, Julia Cecil, Dieter Frey, Susanne Gaube, and Eva Lermer.