The impact of personality on driving safety among Chinese high-speed railway drivers

•Driving safety of Chinese high-speed railway drivers was examined using Poisson regression.•Significant personality traits affecting accident involvement and risky driving behavior were identified.•Higher Conscientiousness and Extraversion were associated with fewer accidents.•Higher Conscientiousness and lower Agreeableness were associated with less frequent risky driving behavior.•Education level and age moderated the relationship between certain personality traits and driving safety.

This study explored the impact of personality traits on driving safety in high-speed railway drivers. A sample of high-speed railway drivers in Beijing (N = 214) completed a questionnaire, including information on personality traits and background variables. The NEO Five Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI) was administered to characterize participants based on five personality traits: Neuroticism, Extraversion, Agreeableness, Openness to Experience, and Conscientiousness. The survey data were combined with naturalistic data of accident involvement and risky driving behavior in China. Poisson regression results show that drivers with high Conscientiousness and Extraversion caused fewer accidents. Higher Conscientiousness and lower Agreeableness were related to less frequent risky driving behavior. Education level and age negatively moderated the relation between certain personality traits and driving safety. The findings suggest that personality traits should be considered when selecting and training high-speed railway drivers.