Trait emotional intelligence, personality traits and social desirability in dangerous driving

The aim of this study is to analyze the relationship between impulsiveness, sensation seeking, social desirability, trait emotional intelligence (trait EI) and self-reported dangerous driving behaviors, as measured by both the Dula Dangerous Driver Index (DDDI) and the number of tickets for dangerous driving. A sample of 285 Italian university students (aged between 20 and 46 years) completed an online survey. Results showed that trait EI did not contribute significantly to the prediction of the DDDI dimensions over and above gender, personality traits and social desirability, while it was the sole incremental predictor of a lower the number of tickets for dangerous driving. The role of trait EI on dangerous driving behavior and intervention programs aimed to reduce dangerous driving is discussed, and implications for future research are presented.