Project leader: Asst. Dr. Zornitsa Totkova, PhD.

The “Driving Styles and Risky Driving Behaviour” project is implemented over 18 months between 2017 and 2019. The project is funded by the Program for Support of Young Scientists and PhD Students of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences and is led by Asst. asst. prof. Zornitsa Totkova, PhD and member of the team is Asst. asst. prof. Rositsa Racheva, PhD. The primary aim of this project is to conceptualize and study the construct of driving style in Bulgarian conditions. As a result, a method for assessment of the driving style in Bulgaria (MDSI-BG) is designed and adapted, the driving styles of drivers in Bulgaria are identified, and the relationship of the construct with specific personality and demographic characteristics is clarified. The obtained results have both scientific and practical benefits. The derived definition of driving style and the adapted method lay a good foundation for future research. Furthermore, driving styles typical for Bulgarian drivers are outlined, and the relationships with actual risky behaviour on the road are analysed, as well as with some demographic (gender, age, education) and personality factors (impulsivity and locus of control). In practical terms, the research allows working towards prevention programmes and interventions directly related to driving style through different training modules. In conclusion, the project contributes to the development of the field of transport psychology in Bulgaria.