The incremental validity of the dark triad in predicting driving aggression

•All the Dark Triad traits were related to aggressive driving behavior in both Study 1 and Study 2.•The Dark Triad predicted driving aggression after the effects of the Big five personality factors were controlled.•Psychopathy was the strongest predictor of driving aggression in both Study 1 and Study 2.•Machiavellianism and Psychopathy mediated the relationship between Emotional Stability, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness on one hand and aggressive driving on the other hand.

This research tested the association between the Dark Triad and driving aggression as well as the incremental validity of the Dark Triad in predicting aggressive driving and the mediation role of the Dark Triad in the relationship between Big Five personality factors and aggressive driving. 274 undergraduate students in Study 1 and 95 amateur drivers in Study 2 completed measures of the Dark Triad (Machiavellianism, Narcissism and Psychopathy), the Big Five personality factors and the aggressive driving expression. Results showed that all the Dark Triad traits were related to aggressive driving behavior in both Study 1 and Study 2 and that the Dark Triad predicted driving aggression after the effect of the Big five personality factors was controlled, with Psychopathy being the strongest predictor of driving aggression in both Study 1 and Study 2. Machiavellianism and Psychopathy mediated the relationship between Emotional Stability, Agreeableness, Conscientiousness on one hand and aggressive driving on the other hand.