Understanding frustration triggers and emotional responses in driving situations

Frustration is a complex emotional phenomenon subject to various triggers and manifested throughmultifaceted behavioral and affective responses. This study investigates the relationship betweendistinct frustration-inducing situations encountered during driving and the corresponding affectiveresponses, focusing on the mediating role of behavioral dimensions. A total of 2244 participantsanswered a questionnaire on driving behavior, the likelihood of experiencing frustration in variousdriving situations, and affective responses in frustrating situations. Latent factors and triggers offrustration were determined using Exploratory Factor Analysis, and their relationship to drivingbehavior was assessed using Multiple Regression Analysis. We identified four primary clusters ofsituations that could trigger frustration in drivers: Unpredictable Experiences, Achievement Obstacles, Distress Elicitors and External Distractions. The emotions accompanying driver frustration clustered into four distinct dimensions: Irritation, Anxiety, Boredom, and Embarrassment. While anxiety-related emotions were central in all frustrating responses (i.e., all four clusters), the other emotion dimensions were specifically related to some of the frustration clusters. Additionally, different types of frustrating situations were characterized by different emotional responses. Furthermore, having more lapses was related to heightened frustration levels. Unraveling the complexities of frustration may aid in the further development of traffic safety by attempting to eliminate frequent frustration triggers in driving situations.