Matúš Šucha | Palacky University, Olomouc (original) (raw)
Papers by Matúš Šucha
Personality and Individual Differences, 2023
Driving accidents are a leading cause of death for late adolescents and young adults, particularl... more Driving accidents are a leading cause of death for late adolescents and young adults, particularly males. Little research has been conducted to determine whether cultural context moderates specific risk factors of dangerous driving. The present study tested the links between sensation seeking, Big Five personality traits, and four risky driving behaviors (unintentional violations [without knowledge], mistakes [underestimating speed], and slips [misreading signs], and traffic violations) in samples of N = 280 college-age American and Czech late adolescents. A few mean level differences across countries were found. Both extraversion (3 of 4) and sensation seeking (2 of 4) were positive correlates of risky driving behaviors, while agreeableness and openness were negative ones (3 of 4). Importantly, a country main effect was found for slips, mistakes, and unintentional violations, not for traffic violations, perhaps the most salient risky driving behavior; none of the tested moderation effects by culture were statistically significant. N = 149.
European Transport \ Trasporti Europei, 2013
The article discusses the issues related to the choice of a travel mode. It explores factors whic... more The article discusses the issues related to the choice of a travel mode. It explores factors which may lead to the decision to lead a life without a car, as well as describing the advantages and disadvantages associated with such a car-free lifestyle. A qualitative design was chosen for the research. The first group comprised respondents who had never begun to drive, the second individuals who had given up their car voluntarily, of their own accord, and the third consisted of individuals who were forced by circumstances to give up car use. Respondents from the Czech Republic and Austria participated in the survey. The results suggest that the main factors conducive to a car-free life are the lack of a perceived need for a car, financial costs, and fear of driving. The concepts of voluntariness and internal motivation also play a role.
Heliyon, 2023
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have become a popular phenomenon internationally; however, their u... more Electric scooters (e-scooters) have become a popular phenomenon internationally; however, their use has raised concerns about pedestrian safety. This study describes the possible effects of the emergence of e-scooters on pedestrians. We focus on the interaction, conflicts, crashes, and attitudes between pedestrians and e-scooter riders and pedestrians' perceived safety in the presence of e-scooters. Data were collected from e-scooter riders and non-riders (n = 3385) through an online survey in Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Norway, and Sweden. Around 20-30% of e-scooter riders rode on sidewalks, whether it is allowed or not. Non-riders of e-scooters tended to report that riding an e-scooter is rather dangerous. Pedestrians, except Australian ones, perceived e-scooter riders (and e-scooter operation) as annoying. Half of the e-scooter riders had experienced a near miss at some point in the past and more than 50% of these near misses included another road user. Up to 10% of the e-scooter riders from all five countries reported having experienced a crash. On the basis of these findings, we believe that the most relevant suggestions for the implications in sustainable (urban) mobility involve separating e-scooter riders and pedestrians.
Systémy pro zmírnění následků kolize s chodci (Pedestrian Collision Mitigation Systems - PCMS) sn... more Systémy pro zmírnění následků kolize s chodci (Pedestrian Collision Mitigation Systems - PCMS) snižují závažnost kolize s chodci, kterým nelze zabránit, a rovněž snižují pravděpodobnost takovýchto kolizí. Pomocí upozornění na možnost kolize a automatického brzdění pro zmírnění následků kolize systémy pomáhají snížit rychlost vozidla ve chvíli, kdy je pravděpodobnost kolize vysoká. Snížením intenzity nárazu tak dochází ke snížení závažnosti a rozsahu zranění chodců. Obecně u takovýchto systémů posuzujeme mnoho aspektů jako základní strategii řízení, minimální požadavky na funkcionalitu, základní prvky rozhraní řidiče, minimální požadavky na diagnostiku a odezvu při poruše systému a rovněž popis testovacích postupů systémů pro zmírnění následků kolize s chodci. Podle stupně zásahu systému do řízení vozidla a intenzity varování řidiče rozeznáváme různé úrovně systému, jež přinášejí částečnou automatizaci řízení vozidla v podélném směru a tím i redukci zátěže řidiče vozidla. Zkusme nahl...
Předkládaný článek poskytuje základní přehled o kooperativních adaptivních systémech pro udržován... more Předkládaný článek poskytuje základní přehled o kooperativních adaptivních systémech pro udržování rychlosti jízdy vozidla. Přináší informace z návrhu normy ISO / PWI 20035 o inteligentních asistenčních systémech a interpretuje je z pohledu dopravní bezpečnosti a vlivu systémů na chování řidiče.Paper introduces basic characteristics of Cooperative adaptive cruise control systems CACC, based on the draft version of ISO/ PWI 20035 norm. Mentioned are safety and drivers behaviour issues
Z pohledu Systému asistovaného parkování, vzhledem k povaze řidičského úkonu, a zejména vzhledem ... more Z pohledu Systému asistovaného parkování, vzhledem k povaze řidičského úkonu, a zejména vzhledem k nízkým rychlostem, je smyslem uvedeného systému zejména zvýšení komfortu pro řidiče. Dopady na bezpečnost jsou spíš sekundární, zejména z pohledu snížení stresu a zvýšení celkového klidu a pohody řidiče, co může mít za následek i celkové více harmonické, klidné a bezpečné řízení. Empirických dat, který by podložily tento předpoklad, je poměrně málo. Dostupné data však naznačují (např. Reimer, Mehler, & Coughlin, 2010) (1), že systém asistovaného parkování významně snižuje stress při řízení (jak v momentu parkovacího manévru, tak před, případně po manévru), a to jak fyziologicky (měřeno srdeční frekvencí), tak prožitkově (měřeno sebeposuzovací škálou). Tyto zjištění jsou konzistentní napříč věkovými skupinami, řidičskými zkušenostmi nebo pohlavím. Bylo pozorováno, že řidiči byli více nakloněni dávat přednost ostatním vozidlům při testovacích jízdách, kdy byl asistent parkování zapnutý (...
Sustainability, 2022
In the past year and a half, we have been forced to make many major changes which, besides other ... more In the past year and a half, we have been forced to make many major changes which, besides other issues, have led to considerable changes in transport mode choices. While we observed an increase in the share of cars as a mode of transport, we also observed an increase in the level of engagement in other active mobility modes, such as walking and cycling. Relevant literature shows that although the restrictions adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic have effects on people’s mobility behaviour, they can be viewed as a catalyst for positive changes as far as active forms of mobility are concerned. This work focuses on the thorough understanding of the changes in citizens’ needs and attitudes toward mobility and transport mode choice during the COVID-19 pandemic. To reach this aim, we analysed the responses to an interview consisting of eight open-ended questions about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic threat and situation of citizens in selected European countries and Russia. In total...
Psychology and its Contexts, 2018
The objective of the present article is to describe and evaluate a pilot traffic safety project, ... more The objective of the present article is to describe and evaluate a pilot traffic safety project, "Live to Be Twenty", run by the Kolečko endowment fund and its partners. Targeted at students in the 17-19 age category, the project was carried out from September 2015 to June 2016 at selected secondary schools, including grammar schools, in the Central Bohemia and Ústí nad Labem regions. The paper provides an outline of the basic concepts concerning the raising of public awareness of traffic safety-related issues, particularly as regards adolescents' risk-taking behaviour and their specific personality aspects and the ways in which the environment may influence their thinking and behaviour. General statistics showing the rates of injuries among children and adolescents are also provided. The main focus of the article is on prevention and traffic education, with a view to the secondary school context, and the young people's readiness to provide first aid. In addition, ...
Case Studies on Transport Policy, 2022
Sustainability, 2022
The empirical research on the COVID-19 epidemic’s consequences suggests a major drop in human mob... more The empirical research on the COVID-19 epidemic’s consequences suggests a major drop in human mobility and a significant shift in travel patterns across all forms of transportation. We can observe a shift from public transport and an increase in car use, and in some cases also increase of cycling and (less often) walking. Furthermore, it seems that micromobility and, more generally, environmentally friendly and comanaged mobility (including shared services), are gaining ground. In previous research, much attention was paid to the mode choice preferences during lockdown, or early stages of the SARS-CoV-2 situation. The blind spot, and aim of this work, is how long observed changes in mode choice last and when or if we can expect the mode choice to shift back to the situation before the SARS-CoV-2 episodes. The research sample consisted of 636 cases; in total, 10 countries contributed to the sample examined in this study. The data were collected in two phases: the first in the spring ...
Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 2019
Eye tracker was used to study 25 young people from three nations who were given the task of findi... more Eye tracker was used to study 25 young people from three nations who were given the task of finding their way to the main railway station in Krakow, Poland (station located underground, with access through a shopping mall), locating a ticket counter there, and going to a platform. Analysed were the paths selected by the test participants to reach these check points and their gazes at various directional signs. While the shortest distance for the task was 339 m, average participant travelled 503 m and the longest route was 1026 m. Observed were five confusion points, when most of the participants had to stop or turn around to find a sign pointing in the desired direction. There was a substantial confusion during the search for ticket counter in the station hall. The results demonstrate the weakness of the signage location and clarity. The outcome can be used by engineers conceiving such transportation hubs as a tool to optimize signage design.
Bratislava Medical Journal, 2021
Sustainability, 2021
Whereas the majority of evaluations of self-service kiosks are based on interviews or observation... more Whereas the majority of evaluations of self-service kiosks are based on interviews or observations and as such are burdened with personal bias, eye tracking was seen as a method for an objective analysis. To demonstrate the feasibility and usability of such an assessment technique, the task of purchasing a public transportation ticket from a modern ticket vending machine in Kraków, Poland was evaluated. The test participants relatively easily operated the machine with time taken to purchase a ticket ranging from 54 s for foreigners not familiar with the equipment to 29 s for local inhabitants. Even though the number of gazes recorded for the foreigners group was 2.4 times higher than for the local test participants, the fixation times were almost equal. Faulty or delayed operation of the payment terminal was a meaningful equipment issue encountered by eight test participants. The study demonstrated that the operation of the analysed ticket vending machine should not cause much troub...
Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, 2014
The present article deals with young drivers' motives, opinions, and attitudes in relation to... more The present article deals with young drivers' motives, opinions, and attitudes in relation to their driving and owning a car. In an online questionnaire, the respondents were asked to answer two questions: "What does it mean to you to be a driver?" and "What does it mean to you to own a car?". A total of 1,477 respondents, 958 males and 519 females, aged 18-25, participated in the survey. The resulting data were analyzed using a qualitative data processing method, thematic analysis. For the purposes of the analysis, the sample was broken down into four different groups according to gender and age (18-19, 20-21, 22-23, and 24-25 years). The study results show that young drivers may generally be divided into two main groups. While the first group defines its attitude to driving and owning a car as emotional, the other may be characterized as being associated with drivers whose attitudes are mostly rational and who perceive both their driving and owning a car as...
Sustainability, 2021
Globally, pedestrians represent 23% of all road deaths. Many solutions to protect pedestrians are... more Globally, pedestrians represent 23% of all road deaths. Many solutions to protect pedestrians are proposed; in this paper, we focus on technical solutions of the ADAS–Advanced Driver Assistance Systems–type. Concerning the interaction between drivers and pedestrians, we want to have a closer look at two aspects: how to protect pedestrians with the help of vehicle technology, and how pedestrians–but also car drivers–perceive and accept such technology. The aim of the present study was to analyze and describe the experiences, needs, and preferences of pedestrians–and drivers–in connection with ADAS, or in other words, how ADAS should work in such a way that it would protect pedestrians and make walking more relaxed. Moreover, we interviewed experts in the field in order to check if, in the near future, the needs and preferences of pedestrians and drivers can be met by new generations of ADAS. A combination of different methods, specifically, an original questionnaire, on-the-spot inte...
The aim of this paper is to describe pedestrians’ road-crossing strategies, drivers’ strategies a... more The aim of this paper is to describe pedestrians’ road-crossing strategies, drivers’ strategies applied to situations involving pedestrians crossing the road, and their mutual communication (formal and informal), and to describe their encounters. Risk strategies and risky combinations of different strategies are identified. Risk and protective factors on the part of both pedestrians and drivers are described. Conflict situations are analysed and the causal nexus of events leading to such traffic conflicts is described. The conclusions are interpreted in the context of the traffic environment. Exploration of pedestrians’ and drivers’ attitudes and behaviour is summarised using focus group analysis. In this paper the outcomes of the focus groups are presented and discussed.
Personality and Individual Differences, 2023
Driving accidents are a leading cause of death for late adolescents and young adults, particularl... more Driving accidents are a leading cause of death for late adolescents and young adults, particularly males. Little research has been conducted to determine whether cultural context moderates specific risk factors of dangerous driving. The present study tested the links between sensation seeking, Big Five personality traits, and four risky driving behaviors (unintentional violations [without knowledge], mistakes [underestimating speed], and slips [misreading signs], and traffic violations) in samples of N = 280 college-age American and Czech late adolescents. A few mean level differences across countries were found. Both extraversion (3 of 4) and sensation seeking (2 of 4) were positive correlates of risky driving behaviors, while agreeableness and openness were negative ones (3 of 4). Importantly, a country main effect was found for slips, mistakes, and unintentional violations, not for traffic violations, perhaps the most salient risky driving behavior; none of the tested moderation effects by culture were statistically significant. N = 149.
European Transport \ Trasporti Europei, 2013
The article discusses the issues related to the choice of a travel mode. It explores factors whic... more The article discusses the issues related to the choice of a travel mode. It explores factors which may lead to the decision to lead a life without a car, as well as describing the advantages and disadvantages associated with such a car-free lifestyle. A qualitative design was chosen for the research. The first group comprised respondents who had never begun to drive, the second individuals who had given up their car voluntarily, of their own accord, and the third consisted of individuals who were forced by circumstances to give up car use. Respondents from the Czech Republic and Austria participated in the survey. The results suggest that the main factors conducive to a car-free life are the lack of a perceived need for a car, financial costs, and fear of driving. The concepts of voluntariness and internal motivation also play a role.
Heliyon, 2023
Electric scooters (e-scooters) have become a popular phenomenon internationally; however, their u... more Electric scooters (e-scooters) have become a popular phenomenon internationally; however, their use has raised concerns about pedestrian safety. This study describes the possible effects of the emergence of e-scooters on pedestrians. We focus on the interaction, conflicts, crashes, and attitudes between pedestrians and e-scooter riders and pedestrians' perceived safety in the presence of e-scooters. Data were collected from e-scooter riders and non-riders (n = 3385) through an online survey in Australia, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Norway, and Sweden. Around 20-30% of e-scooter riders rode on sidewalks, whether it is allowed or not. Non-riders of e-scooters tended to report that riding an e-scooter is rather dangerous. Pedestrians, except Australian ones, perceived e-scooter riders (and e-scooter operation) as annoying. Half of the e-scooter riders had experienced a near miss at some point in the past and more than 50% of these near misses included another road user. Up to 10% of the e-scooter riders from all five countries reported having experienced a crash. On the basis of these findings, we believe that the most relevant suggestions for the implications in sustainable (urban) mobility involve separating e-scooter riders and pedestrians.
Systémy pro zmírnění následků kolize s chodci (Pedestrian Collision Mitigation Systems - PCMS) sn... more Systémy pro zmírnění následků kolize s chodci (Pedestrian Collision Mitigation Systems - PCMS) snižují závažnost kolize s chodci, kterým nelze zabránit, a rovněž snižují pravděpodobnost takovýchto kolizí. Pomocí upozornění na možnost kolize a automatického brzdění pro zmírnění následků kolize systémy pomáhají snížit rychlost vozidla ve chvíli, kdy je pravděpodobnost kolize vysoká. Snížením intenzity nárazu tak dochází ke snížení závažnosti a rozsahu zranění chodců. Obecně u takovýchto systémů posuzujeme mnoho aspektů jako základní strategii řízení, minimální požadavky na funkcionalitu, základní prvky rozhraní řidiče, minimální požadavky na diagnostiku a odezvu při poruše systému a rovněž popis testovacích postupů systémů pro zmírnění následků kolize s chodci. Podle stupně zásahu systému do řízení vozidla a intenzity varování řidiče rozeznáváme různé úrovně systému, jež přinášejí částečnou automatizaci řízení vozidla v podélném směru a tím i redukci zátěže řidiče vozidla. Zkusme nahl...
Předkládaný článek poskytuje základní přehled o kooperativních adaptivních systémech pro udržován... more Předkládaný článek poskytuje základní přehled o kooperativních adaptivních systémech pro udržování rychlosti jízdy vozidla. Přináší informace z návrhu normy ISO / PWI 20035 o inteligentních asistenčních systémech a interpretuje je z pohledu dopravní bezpečnosti a vlivu systémů na chování řidiče.Paper introduces basic characteristics of Cooperative adaptive cruise control systems CACC, based on the draft version of ISO/ PWI 20035 norm. Mentioned are safety and drivers behaviour issues
Z pohledu Systému asistovaného parkování, vzhledem k povaze řidičského úkonu, a zejména vzhledem ... more Z pohledu Systému asistovaného parkování, vzhledem k povaze řidičského úkonu, a zejména vzhledem k nízkým rychlostem, je smyslem uvedeného systému zejména zvýšení komfortu pro řidiče. Dopady na bezpečnost jsou spíš sekundární, zejména z pohledu snížení stresu a zvýšení celkového klidu a pohody řidiče, co může mít za následek i celkové více harmonické, klidné a bezpečné řízení. Empirických dat, který by podložily tento předpoklad, je poměrně málo. Dostupné data však naznačují (např. Reimer, Mehler, & Coughlin, 2010) (1), že systém asistovaného parkování významně snižuje stress při řízení (jak v momentu parkovacího manévru, tak před, případně po manévru), a to jak fyziologicky (měřeno srdeční frekvencí), tak prožitkově (měřeno sebeposuzovací škálou). Tyto zjištění jsou konzistentní napříč věkovými skupinami, řidičskými zkušenostmi nebo pohlavím. Bylo pozorováno, že řidiči byli více nakloněni dávat přednost ostatním vozidlům při testovacích jízdách, kdy byl asistent parkování zapnutý (...
Sustainability, 2022
In the past year and a half, we have been forced to make many major changes which, besides other ... more In the past year and a half, we have been forced to make many major changes which, besides other issues, have led to considerable changes in transport mode choices. While we observed an increase in the share of cars as a mode of transport, we also observed an increase in the level of engagement in other active mobility modes, such as walking and cycling. Relevant literature shows that although the restrictions adopted during the COVID-19 pandemic have effects on people’s mobility behaviour, they can be viewed as a catalyst for positive changes as far as active forms of mobility are concerned. This work focuses on the thorough understanding of the changes in citizens’ needs and attitudes toward mobility and transport mode choice during the COVID-19 pandemic. To reach this aim, we analysed the responses to an interview consisting of eight open-ended questions about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic threat and situation of citizens in selected European countries and Russia. In total...
Psychology and its Contexts, 2018
The objective of the present article is to describe and evaluate a pilot traffic safety project, ... more The objective of the present article is to describe and evaluate a pilot traffic safety project, "Live to Be Twenty", run by the Kolečko endowment fund and its partners. Targeted at students in the 17-19 age category, the project was carried out from September 2015 to June 2016 at selected secondary schools, including grammar schools, in the Central Bohemia and Ústí nad Labem regions. The paper provides an outline of the basic concepts concerning the raising of public awareness of traffic safety-related issues, particularly as regards adolescents' risk-taking behaviour and their specific personality aspects and the ways in which the environment may influence their thinking and behaviour. General statistics showing the rates of injuries among children and adolescents are also provided. The main focus of the article is on prevention and traffic education, with a view to the secondary school context, and the young people's readiness to provide first aid. In addition, ...
Case Studies on Transport Policy, 2022
Sustainability, 2022
The empirical research on the COVID-19 epidemic’s consequences suggests a major drop in human mob... more The empirical research on the COVID-19 epidemic’s consequences suggests a major drop in human mobility and a significant shift in travel patterns across all forms of transportation. We can observe a shift from public transport and an increase in car use, and in some cases also increase of cycling and (less often) walking. Furthermore, it seems that micromobility and, more generally, environmentally friendly and comanaged mobility (including shared services), are gaining ground. In previous research, much attention was paid to the mode choice preferences during lockdown, or early stages of the SARS-CoV-2 situation. The blind spot, and aim of this work, is how long observed changes in mode choice last and when or if we can expect the mode choice to shift back to the situation before the SARS-CoV-2 episodes. The research sample consisted of 636 cases; in total, 10 countries contributed to the sample examined in this study. The data were collected in two phases: the first in the spring ...
Advances in Intelligent Systems and Computing, 2019
Eye tracker was used to study 25 young people from three nations who were given the task of findi... more Eye tracker was used to study 25 young people from three nations who were given the task of finding their way to the main railway station in Krakow, Poland (station located underground, with access through a shopping mall), locating a ticket counter there, and going to a platform. Analysed were the paths selected by the test participants to reach these check points and their gazes at various directional signs. While the shortest distance for the task was 339 m, average participant travelled 503 m and the longest route was 1026 m. Observed were five confusion points, when most of the participants had to stop or turn around to find a sign pointing in the desired direction. There was a substantial confusion during the search for ticket counter in the station hall. The results demonstrate the weakness of the signage location and clarity. The outcome can be used by engineers conceiving such transportation hubs as a tool to optimize signage design.
Bratislava Medical Journal, 2021
Sustainability, 2021
Whereas the majority of evaluations of self-service kiosks are based on interviews or observation... more Whereas the majority of evaluations of self-service kiosks are based on interviews or observations and as such are burdened with personal bias, eye tracking was seen as a method for an objective analysis. To demonstrate the feasibility and usability of such an assessment technique, the task of purchasing a public transportation ticket from a modern ticket vending machine in Kraków, Poland was evaluated. The test participants relatively easily operated the machine with time taken to purchase a ticket ranging from 54 s for foreigners not familiar with the equipment to 29 s for local inhabitants. Even though the number of gazes recorded for the foreigners group was 2.4 times higher than for the local test participants, the fixation times were almost equal. Faulty or delayed operation of the payment terminal was a meaningful equipment issue encountered by eight test participants. The study demonstrated that the operation of the analysed ticket vending machine should not cause much troub...
Journal of Traffic and Transportation Engineering, 2014
The present article deals with young drivers' motives, opinions, and attitudes in relation to... more The present article deals with young drivers' motives, opinions, and attitudes in relation to their driving and owning a car. In an online questionnaire, the respondents were asked to answer two questions: "What does it mean to you to be a driver?" and "What does it mean to you to own a car?". A total of 1,477 respondents, 958 males and 519 females, aged 18-25, participated in the survey. The resulting data were analyzed using a qualitative data processing method, thematic analysis. For the purposes of the analysis, the sample was broken down into four different groups according to gender and age (18-19, 20-21, 22-23, and 24-25 years). The study results show that young drivers may generally be divided into two main groups. While the first group defines its attitude to driving and owning a car as emotional, the other may be characterized as being associated with drivers whose attitudes are mostly rational and who perceive both their driving and owning a car as...
Sustainability, 2021
Globally, pedestrians represent 23% of all road deaths. Many solutions to protect pedestrians are... more Globally, pedestrians represent 23% of all road deaths. Many solutions to protect pedestrians are proposed; in this paper, we focus on technical solutions of the ADAS–Advanced Driver Assistance Systems–type. Concerning the interaction between drivers and pedestrians, we want to have a closer look at two aspects: how to protect pedestrians with the help of vehicle technology, and how pedestrians–but also car drivers–perceive and accept such technology. The aim of the present study was to analyze and describe the experiences, needs, and preferences of pedestrians–and drivers–in connection with ADAS, or in other words, how ADAS should work in such a way that it would protect pedestrians and make walking more relaxed. Moreover, we interviewed experts in the field in order to check if, in the near future, the needs and preferences of pedestrians and drivers can be met by new generations of ADAS. A combination of different methods, specifically, an original questionnaire, on-the-spot inte...
The aim of this paper is to describe pedestrians’ road-crossing strategies, drivers’ strategies a... more The aim of this paper is to describe pedestrians’ road-crossing strategies, drivers’ strategies applied to situations involving pedestrians crossing the road, and their mutual communication (formal and informal), and to describe their encounters. Risk strategies and risky combinations of different strategies are identified. Risk and protective factors on the part of both pedestrians and drivers are described. Conflict situations are analysed and the causal nexus of events leading to such traffic conflicts is described. The conclusions are interpreted in the context of the traffic environment. Exploration of pedestrians’ and drivers’ attitudes and behaviour is summarised using focus group analysis. In this paper the outcomes of the focus groups are presented and discussed.
A multifaceted activity, driving requires experience and a number of skills and personality and m... more A multifaceted activity, driving requires experience and a number of skills and personality and motivational prerequisites. Research has shown that such skills are not enough to ensure safe driving in the long term. In addition to the driver's performance characteristics, modern research into traffic psychology points out the role of personality traits and motivational factors: not only do the driver's capacities (skills) need to be assessed, but also motivational and personality factors (what they want to do). The present paper reports the results of a study of a group of 2,471 Czech drivers who underwent psychological assessment of their fitness to drive in the period 2013-2014. The reason for this procedure was their driving licence being suspended because of their reaching 12 points in the demerit point system or a single serious traffic violation (such as DUI or speeding). Another group comprised professional drivers with no previous problems in the performance of their work. Personality traits (personality testse.g. NEO-PI-R, PSSI) and skills (performance testse.g. VMT, D2, IST-2000-R) were assessed. The results indicate differences in personality traits between the groups of risk drivers (licences suspended) and good drivers (professional drivers). As for the performance characteristics, the differences between the two groups were not significant.
