Drivers 'calmed' by accident imagery

Tuesday 12 September 1995 23:02 BST

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Dangerous drivers should be confronted with details of horrific imaginary accidents to puncture their self-perceived invulnerability, said Frank McKenna, a psychologist at Reading University.

A study of drivers who were forced to describe an imaginary accident "no longer judged they were much safer drivers than others", said Prof McKenna.

In addition, whereas normally 50 per cent of the drivers said they would drive at 80mph, after the study this fell to 27 per cent.

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Drivers 'calmed' by accident imagery

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