Links between novice drivers’ subjectively assessed driving skills and the fear of driving independently

Abstract

Background. The number of people killed on the Lithuanian roads is one of the biggest in the EU. Driving after the acquisition of the driving licence is directly related to the road accidents (Simons-Morton, 2006). Taylor et al. (2007) opinion that the fear of driving is a possible reason of traffic events; others argue that if the novice drivers lack driving skills, they may experience fear (Schmidt-Daffy, 2013). Research on determination of the role of the driving skills concerning the manifestation of fear becomes necessary (Kleisen, 2013). The aim of the survey is to establish the links between the novice drivers’ subjectively assessed driving skills and the fear of driving. Methods. The DCQ (Taylor et al., 2007) questionnaire is used to evaluate the fear of driving. ADS scale (George et al., 2007) measuring the self-efficacy level in driving situations. The target group. 375 novice drivers. Findings. As the fear of driving reduces, new drivers assess their driving skills better. Discussion. Reduction of the driving fear is one of the methods to encourage novice drivers assess their driving skills better.