Family Life

01.29.10 | FL News Team

How do you rate yourself behind the wheel of a car? If you're like most drivers, you think think your skills are far better than others on the road. That's the finding of a new survey by psychologists at Ottawa University. The superior rating may be good for the ego but could also mean big trouble for some drivers, particularly young men. Researchers say since many people overrate their driving abilities, it can make them less cautious and lead to more accidents. British officials are taking the survey seriously and are introducing a new driver pre-qualification program targeting 14 to 16 year-olds.

 In a breakdown of the data, all drivers --- men, women, young and old --- gave themselves a grade higher than that of the average motorist. Drivers aged 65 and older say they were far superior in a comparison with motorists in their same age group. Middle-aged men said they were better than other drivers their age and far better than younger and older drivers. The results of the new survey are published in the journal "Accident Analysis and Prevention."