How Likely Are You to Cause a Car Accident?

Are you a person who frequently seeks new thrills in life? How about your time management skills? Are you compulsive about showing up on time to appointments and being only a little bit late causes you stress? Do you blame yourself when things do not go according to plan? All of these traits are those of drivers who psychologists have determined are the least likely to be involved in car accidents.

Psychologists Associate Personality Traits with Safe Driving Skills

After research into the personality traits of safe drivers, psychologists were surprised by the results of their study. The personality traits previously associated with unsafe drivers turned up to have opposite results. Some examples include:

• Thrill seekers: If you are a thrill seeker who thrives on excitement and driving fast, most people would assume you would be more likely to cause a car accident. The opposite is true. Studies revealed that although thrill seekers may drive faster and often exceed the speed limit, they do so safely. They may get a “buzz” from driving fast, but they seem to be more skilled than others and actually are safer drivers.
• Those who stress about being late: If you are somewhat compulsive about being on time to your appointments, you likely plan ahead for things that could possibly go wrong and generally allow plenty of time to get to your destination. Your good time management skills make it less likely for you to be in a rush to get to where you are going and are therefore you are not as susceptible to causing a car accident as other drivers.
• Those who blame themselves when things go wrong: If you feel that anything that goes wrong is your fault, you are more likely to protect yourself against things going against our plan. That means you will most likely wear your seatbelt, drive the speed limit and follow the rules of the road, making it less likely that you will cause a car accident.

Personality Traits of Those Most Likely to Cause a Car Accident

The studies also showed, with some surprising results, the traits of those most likely to cause a car accident.

• Optimists: According to the studies, an optimist is much more likely to cause a car accident than a pessimist. Optimists, who are sure everything will turn out okay, have a tendency not to concern themselves with rules of the road or allowing enough time to get where they are going.
• Those who live in the present: The psychologists categorized people into three groups depending on their time perspective: Past, present and future. Those who are “present oriented” focus on living in the moment. They do not concern themselves with future consequences and are the most likely to be involved in car accidents.

If you have been in a car accident which you believe was the fault of another, contact our personal injury lawyers at one of our conveniently located offices either in Charlotte, Gastonia, Hickory, Monroe or Rock Hill, SC.  We offer a free consultation 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.  Simply call 704.333.0885 today so Campbell & Associates can get you the compensation you deserve.