Gender Differences and Aggressive Driving Behavior: A Factor Analytic Study

Abstract

Aggressive driving behavior can be manifested in a wide variety of unsafe driving practices such as tailgating, honking, obscene and rude gestures, flashing high beams at slower traffic, and speeding. According the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2000 report, aggressive driving was a major cause of traffic accidents and injury. The present study was designed to systematically examine 5 previously developed scales related to aggressive driving behavior using a factor analytic approach. A sample of 253 students were administered these five questionnaires and the data were coded and statistically analyzed using a principal components analysis with Varimax rotation on the 81 items of the five combined scales. Nineteen components accounting for 67.4% of the variance were retained. Component scores were computed for the 19 components and then correlated with gender. Three significant (p < .05) positive r's were found between gender; factors 11 (bright lights action), 12 (delaying action), and 19 (driving drunk). Males in the sample reported performing these actions more than females. There was one negative r between gender and factor 4 (considerate thoughts), suggesting that females reported more pleasant thoughts than males when angered or annoyed on the road.