Driving Style, Psychological Well-being, and Road Safety Behavior of Drivers: A Critical Review

Garima Singh; Anubhuti Dubey

doi:10.47679/jopp.7311472025

Authors

Garima Singh Department of psychology, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University Gorakhpur, India
Anubhuti Dubey Department of psychology, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University Gorakhpur, India http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3051-4980

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.47679/jopp.7311472025

Keywords:

Driving style Attitude towards road safety, psychological well-being, Road safety behavior, Traffic psychology

Abstract

Understanding the relationship between psychological well-being and driving style is essential for addressing public health issues related to road safety. Road accidents impose substantial economic, social, and emotional burdens. This review aims to (1) identify psychological and behavioral determinants of driving behavior, (2) explore how driving style moderates the link between psychological well-being and road safety behavior, and (3) evaluate interventions that promote safer driving outcomes. A systematic review of 30 empirical studies (20 international, 10 Indian) published between 2000 and 2025 was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, ScienceDirect, and ResearchGate. Studies were selected based on relevance, empirical rigor, and focus on psychological factors in driving. The review was framed using the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Stress-Strain Model. Findings reveal that psychological distress (e.g., stress, fatigue) contributes to aggressive and risky driving, while higher well-being correlates with defensive, safer driving styles and improved risk perception. Defensive driving mitigates the adverse impact of poor mental health on behavior. Promising interventions include stress management training, psychological education, and real-time driver feedback systems. Future research should focus on culturally adapted, evidence-based interventions targeting high-risk groups, supporting integration of psychological screening and mental health strategies into driver education and road safety policy.

Author Biographies

Garima Singh, Department of psychology, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University Gorakhpur

Garima Singh is a PhD research scholar in the Department of Psychology at Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University, Gorakhpur, India. She is a UGC-NET qualified scholar and a gold medalist in her postgraduate studies in Psychology. Her research focuses on the relationship between driving style, attitude towards road safety, and risk perception with road safety behavior and psychological well-being of automobile drivers in India. She has presented her work at both national and international conferences. Her broader academic interests include traffic psychology and applied social psychology.

Anubhuti Dubey, Department of psychology, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University Gorakhpur

Anubhuti Dubey is a Professor of Psychology and Dean of Students' Welfare at DDU Gorakhpur University. She has authored five books, published 60+ research papers, and supervised 15 Ph.D. scholars. Her expertise lies in Health Psychology, Positive Psychology, and Counseling, and she is the Editor of ‘Mind and Society’. She has been honoured as Shakti Yodha by the U.P. Government for her contributions

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Driving Style, Psychological Well-being, and Road Safety Behavior of Drivers: A Critical Review

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Abstract

Author Biographies

Garima Singh, Department of psychology, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University Gorakhpur

Anubhuti Dubey, Department of psychology, Deen Dayal Upadhyaya Gorakhpur University Gorakhpur

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