Evolutionary Psychology, Demography and Vehicle Crashes: A Theoretical Synthesis
David L. Wiesenthal & Deanna Singhal
Source: Wiesenthal, D. L. & Singhal, D. M. (In press). Evolutionary psychology, demography and driver safety research: A theoretical synthesis. In S. Craig Roberts (Ed.), Applied evolutionary psychology. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Some National Road Safety Initiatives
• Canada
• Finland
• Holland
• Great Britain
• Switzerland
These nations have reported a decrease in collisions and an improvement in driver safety
Fatal Collisions in Canada
2300
2400
2500
2600
2700
2800
2900
3000
3100
3200
3300
3400
3500
3600
3700
3800
Year
Fa
tali
tie
s
Data plotted from “Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics: 2004. Source: Transport Canada
Interpreting Driving Safety Statistics
• Governments attribute safety improvement to their initiatives and/or technical improvements in vehicle and highway design, road maintenance, driver training, graduated licencing, and enforcement strategies.
• These statistics need to be interpreted in relation to the demographic situation of the specific population in question.
• How can we explain drunk driving, risky driving, driver aggression and roadway violence?
Evolutionary Psychology Principles
• Males, more than females, vie for status, economic resources and engage in physical conflict when status and resources are involved. The greatest potential gain from risk occurs during the stage when mate competition begins.
• Environmental stability/instability and social learning plays a role, so it is not a case of simple biological determinism.
Evolutionary Psychology Principles
• Males, more than females, vie for status, economic resources and engage in physical conflict when status and resources are involved The greatest potential gain from risk occurs during the stage when mate competition begins.
• Environmental stability/instability and social learning plays a role, so it is not a case of simple biological determinism.
Evolutionary Psychology (continued)• Evolutionary psychology would predict that violent
behaviours, driver aggression, and alcohol consumption would be the greatest for young males.
• The proportion of young males in a population will influence the prevalence of violent crime, risk-taking and driving while intoxicated.
• As the proportion of young males in a population increase, the level of aggression and risk taking will increase.
• As the proportion of young males in a population decrease, the level of aggression and risk taking will decrease.
Males engage in a variety of risky behaviours:
gamblingdrug useextreme sportscrimealcohol consumption(from Wilson & Daly, 1985)
Mesquida’s Analysis of Coalitional Aggression
• Young males compete with each other and form intense hierarchies involved with mate selection
• Countries with a preponderance of young males may be at risk for coalitional aggression
• Economic conditions (scarcity) may intensify competition to secure resources necessary for obtaining wives
• The combination of scarcity and large numbers of young males increases the probability for coalitional aggression (e.g., gangs, civil wars,etc.)
The World Cup: Competitive activities traditionally male oriented
These advertisements in advance of the World Cup of soccer highlight the fusion of sexuality and competition
directed to a male audience.
Social learning plays a role
• Media representations of areas for male competition in a specific culture
– Advertisements– Cinema
• Imitation and modelling
Population of Canada and Proportion of Males 15-29 yrs.
Canadian Fatality Rates and Number of Motor Vehicles
1.4
1.6
1.8
2
2.2
2.4
Year 1990 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003
Year
Fat
alit
y R
ate
per
10,
000
Veh
icle
s
16
16.2
16.4
16.6
16.8
17
17.2
17.4
17.6
17.8
18
18.2
18.4
18.6
18.8
To
tal
Nu
mb
er o
f M
oto
r V
ehic
les
(mil
lio
ns)
Fatal Rate
Vehicle
Data source: North American Transportation Statistics//Note that a gap exists in x-axis
Canadian Motor Vehicle Traffic Collision Statistics, 2003
• Males (16-34 yrs.) represent 30.1% of male drivers and 16% of all Canadian drivers
• Males (15-34 yrs.) represent 39.5% of traffic fatalities and 43.6% of injuries
Source: Transport Canada
Fatal Collisions/Personal Injuries in Canada 1985-2004
2400
2500
2600
2700
2800
2900
3000
3100
3200
3300
3400
3500
3600
3700
3800
1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2002
Year
Fat
alit
ies
148000
153000
158000
163000
168000
173000
178000
183000
188000
193000
Per
son
al I
nju
ries
Fatal CollisionsPersonal Injury
Driver Fatalities by Gender: Canada 1987-2003
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
Year
Nu
mb
er o
f fa
talit
ies
Male
Female
Driver Fatalities (16-29 Year-olds) by Gender: Canada 1987-2003
0
200
400
600
800
1000
1200
Year
Nu
mb
er o
f fa
talit
ies
Male
Female
Alcohol-involved (BAC>0) Driver Fatalities (16-29 Year-olds) by Gender: Canada 1987-2003
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
Year
Nu
mb
er o
f fa
talit
ies
Male
Female
Conclusions• Demographic variables need
to be examined before safety claims are attributed to policy implementations, engineering advances or highway improvements.
• Evolutionary psychology offers a theoretical basis for driver safety research and needs to be introduced to sharpen scholarly work in the area.
The Vatican’s 10 Commandments for Drivers
1. Thou shalt not kill
2. The road shall be for you a means of communion between people and not of mortal harm
3. Courtesy, uprightness and prudence will help you deal with unforeseen events
4. Be charitable and help your neighbour in need, especially victims of accidents
5. Cars shall not be for you an expression of power and domination, and an occasion of sin
The Vatican’s 10 Commandments for Drivers
6. Charitably convince the young and not so young not to drive when they are not in a fitting condition to do so
7. Support the families of accident victims
8. Bring guilty motorists and their victims together, at the appropriate time, so that they can undergo the liberating experience of forgiveness
9. On the road, protect the more vulnerable party
10. Feel responsible for others
Acknowledgements
• Rob Finlayson• Walter Giesbrecht• Paul Gutoskie• Yueh-Chin Ma• Chris Mesquida
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