Study: Negative People More Likely To Be Dangerous Drivers

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) – Thinking positively not only improves your mood, it could make you a better driver, according to a study.

Researchers separated 38 non-professional drivers, who had been driving for at least three years, into two groups according to penalty points that they had accrued for traffic violations.

Fifteen drivers with six or more points were included in the 'dangerous driver' group, and 23 drivers with three or fewer points were put in the 'safe driver' group, according to the study.

Researchers then used tests to measure negativity biases, and both behavioral and electroencephalograph data was recorded.

According to the study, behavioral results revealed stronger negativity biases in the dangerous drivers than the safe drivers.

"The behavioral results indicated that dangerous drivers had stronger negativity biases than the safe drivers did based on their longer reaction times to the negative stimuli than to the neutral stimuli. This result indicates that dangerous drivers were more sensitive to negative information."

Researchers say drivers with strong negativity biases reported having been involved in more car crashes compared to the less-biased drivers.

"The influence of negativity bias provides one possible explanation of the effects of individual differences on dangerous driving behavior and traffic crashes," according to the study.