Study Links Anxiety And Depression To Risk Taking In Young Drivers

Study Links Anxiety And Depression To Risk Taking In Young Drivers

Young drivers who actual trial anxiety and depression are more probable to take risks on the pathway, according to a new study ~ means of Queensland University of Technology (QUT).

The results of the study led ~ the agency of Bridie Scott-Parker, from QUT's Centre toward Accident Research and Road Safety - Queensland (CARRS-Q), acquire been published in the international newspaper Injury Prevention today.

Mrs Scott-Parker related the study of more than 760 young drivers, who were steady their provisional licence, found anxiety and inactivity accounted for 8.5 per cent of the risky driving behaviour reported ~ dint of. these young adults.

"The association was greater in women than in men, with 9.5 per cent being explained ~ dint of. psychological distress in women compared by 6.7 per cent in men," Mrs Scott-Parker related.

"We already know that psychological grief, such as anxiety and depression, has been linked to risky behaviour in adolescents including defenceless sex, smoking and high alcohol gradual wasting.

"What this study sought to effect was look at whether or not psychological poverty could also be linked to risky driving behaviours in young family, such as speeding, not wearing a situate belt and using a mobile phone as long as at the wheel."

Mrs Scott-Parker before-mentioned the research could be used to be the same young drivers most at risk of psychological hardship and therefore a greater crash jeopard on the road through risky driving.

"Young lower classes presenting to medical and mental hale condition professionals could be screened for current psychological misery particularly if they have incurred mischief through risky behaviour," she said.

"These drivers could exist targeted with specific road safety countermeasures and efforts made to improve their intellectual wellbeing by monitoring them for signs of indentation and anxiety."

Mrs Scott-Parker declared up until now the relationship betwixt novice risky driving behaviour and psychological hardship had not been clearly identified or quantified.

"Identifying at hazard individuals is vital," she said.

"Once identified, interventions could have ~ing tailored to target particular groups of at-danger drivers and also from a ideal health perspective this may result in improved well-subsistence for the adolescent young driver," she related.

CARRS-Q is a member of QUT's Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation.