Every driver should undergo psychological testing, said transport psychologist Dr Piotr Mamcarz of KUL in an interview with PAP. He pointed out that people characterised by high impulsivity, a tendency to take risks and low moral standards are particularly vulnerable to accidents.
Asked about the reasons why people drive under the influence of alcohol or despite court-imposed bans, Dr Mamcarz noted that every person has free will. However, it is crucial that whether they respect road-safety rules depends on their system of values and the standards they learned in their family and sociocultural environment.
As reported by the Polish Press Agency service:
"People who drive at excessive speed or under the influence of alcohol are antisocial people who repeat the same patterns for many years. The boundary shifts imperceptibly. Pathological behaviour begins with our everyday choices. For example, first I drive 5 km/h faster, then 10 km/h, then 20 or 50 km/h faster than permitted," the psychologist explained.
And what do our readers think? Should strict criteria be applied, simply preventing people who fail such tests from driving vehicles? Would this improve road safety and reduce the number of accidents?