Life Events, Subjective Stress, and Traffic Accidents
MELVIN L. SELZER M.D.1, and
AMIRAM VINOKUR PH.D.2
1 Professor of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical School, Ann Arbor, Mich. and Research Psychiatrist, University of Michigan Highway Safety Research Institute
2 Associate Research Psychologist, University of Michigan Highway Safety Research Institute
In a departure from traditional personality-oriented traffic accident research, the authors assessed, through a self-administered questionnaire, the role of transitory life changes and subjective stress among 532 general and alcoholic male drivers. They found that these two factors were significantly correlated with traffic accidents but that personality and demographic variables were not. The need for additional research in this area is emphasized.
