Rash impulsivity, reward seeking and fear of missing out as predictors of texting while driving: Indirect effects via mobile phone involvement

Abstract Young drivers exhibit high levels of risky driving behaviour, including texting while driving (TWD). The aim of this study was to examine the influence of personality (rash impulsivity, reward seeking), fear of missing out (FOMO) and mobile phone involvement (MPI) on frequency of TWD. Six hundred and twelve young drivers aged 17 to 24 years completed an online survey including these measures, and frequency of sending and reading TWD in the prior week. Rash impulsivity and reward seeking, as well as MPI, predicted both modes of TWD, while FOMO only predicted sending. In addition, rash impulsivity, reward seeking and FOMO all had significant indirect effects on sending and reading TWD via MPI. Findings highlight the importance of considering indirect relationships of personality via MPI on phone use while driving.