The positive effects of the presence of passengers on safety include:
- Encouraging careful driving,
- Reducing the possibility of overlooking traffic signs, pedestrians and bicycles,
while the following and other negative effects can be anticipated:
- Losing concentration on driving while talking with passengers,
- Looking at the passenger while driving,
- Inducing reckless driving to show off driving skills.
Similarly, support or advice from passengers can help
- Reduce the possibility of overlooking traffic signs, pedestrians and bicycles,
- Prevent risky judgment,
while causing the driver to
- Feel frustrated at criticism of his driving skills,
- Hesitate or take too long time to make a judgment, when two or more passengers are giving different advice.
Here, analyses of traffic accidents involving standard- and mini-sized passenger cars (hereinafter "regular-size passenger cars") are used to examine the relationship between the presence of passengers and traffic accidents.
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