Abstract

This study aims to examine factors that influence the severity of aggressive driving from a comprehensive perspective. For the analysis, we used data from the Korean Institute of Criminology and Justice(KICJ) and analyzed 1,452 drivers aged 20 and above who had aggressive driving experiences between August 2019 and July 2020. Individual factors such as drivers’ gender, age, and self-control were measured, and the presence of a passenger during instances of aggressive driving was measured as a situational factor. The results revealed that there were no significant gender differences among aggressive drivers severity, but age differences were evident. The younger drivers were more likely to engage in aggressive driving. Contrary to the general expectation that the presence of a passenger would act as a protective factor, drivers exhibited more severe aggressive driving when accompanied by passengers. Furthermore, younger drivers demonstrated more aggressive driving when passengers were present. Lastly, the study confirmed that the presence of a passenger moderated the relationship between self-control and aggressive driving. Specifically, drivers with low self-control were more likely to drive more aggressively when a passenger is present. While this study has limitations due to its use of secondary data, it is significant in that it addresses aggressive driving more comprehensively by considering the driver’s self-control and the presence of a passenger. This study is timely, considering the current situation where aggressive driving is emerging as a serious social problem.