Measuring driving styles : a validation of the multidimensional driving style inventory

The aim of this study was to validate the stability of the different factors of the Multidimensional Driving Style Inventory (MDSI) [16], which was originally developed and validated with participants in different geographical areas of Israel. In this study, the questionnaire was distributed in the Netherlands and Belgium. A factor analysis of the data of 364 participants revealed five of the eight factors that resulted from the original factor analysis: Angry driving, Anxious driving, Dissociative driving, Distress-reduction driving, and Careful driving style. In addition, 24 items divided over the five factors seem to be stable compared to the 44 items divided over the eight factors of the original analysis. The factors revealed through the analysis of these data were used to determine driver profiles, consisting of one or two driving styles. The next step is to compare self-report data on driving style to actual driving behaviour.