Bad driver? Blame your genes

[Juan Dude]

No need to curse that bad driver weaving in and out of the lane in front of you -- he cannot help it, U.S. researchers reported on Wednesday.

They found that people with a particular gene variant performed more than 20 percent worse on a driving test than people with a different DNA sequence.

The study may explain why there are so many bad drivers out there -- about 30 percent of Americans have the variant, the team at the University of California Irvine found.

"These people make more errors from the get-go, and they forget more of what they learned after time away," Dr. Steven Cramer, who led the study published in the journal Cerebral Cortex, said in a statement.

Cramer and his team tested 29 people -- 22 without the gene variant and seven who had it -- asking them to drive 15 laps on a simulator and then repeat the task a week later.

To their surprise, they found that those with the mutant gene did worse, consistently.

The gene controls a protein called brain-derived neurotrophic factor, which affects memory.

The team was not really looking for insights into driving but chose the driving test because it uses common skills.

"I'd be curious to know the genetics of people who get into car crashes," Cramer said. "I wonder if the accident rate is higher for drivers with the variant."

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/22/20091029...g-cb1d00a.html

[SteelMaiden]

I coulda told them that for free! Haven't you ever noticed that if the parents are chitty drivers, their kids are too? I always thought it was learned, tho, not genetic.

[somerqc]

Blame your genes! This "No Responsibility" generation needs something to blame it on. I may be part of this generation; but, it drives me crazy that someone would say it is genes in this type of situation.

You make decisions when you drive. You decide to drive like an idiot or you don't. You decide to look at your surroundings and be "preventative" or you don't.

If you don't want to drive like a civilized person, you shouldn't have a license! Driving is privledge not a right!

Sorry needed to vent - I drive too much in a large city to put up with this kind of stupidity of blaming my genes for a bad or lack of a decision.

Ok - off soapbox now.

[Jim Wynne]

In Reply to Parent Post by somerqc

Blame your genes! This "No Responsibility" generation needs something to blame it on. I may be part of this generation; but, it drives me crazy that someone would say it is genes in this type of situation.

You make decisions when you drive. You decide to drive like an idiot or you don't. You decide to look at your surroundings and be "preventative" or you don't.

If you don't want to drive like a civilized person, you shouldn't have a license! Driving is privledge not a right!

Sorry needed to vent - I drive too much in a large city to put up with this kind of stupidity of blaming my genes for a bad or lack of a decision.

Ok - off soapbox now.

Before you turn inside-out, there are a few things to consider. The popular press (including news websites these days) is very bad at covering science stories, and will often favor hyperbole and sensationalism over a sober review of the facts. In this case, without looking further, all we really know is that an interesting correlation might have been found. That's it. Folks who frequent the Cove should know that correlation ≠ causation.

The other thing to consider is that websites that are supported by advertising set their rates based on hit counts and page views, and playing up a story like this causes lots of links, including the one in the OP. Links and hits = $$$. So the more a story is sensationalized, the more money it's likely to be worth.

[somerqc]

Fair enough - but, this type of thing is same reason that people have views that are contrary to scientific facts or statistical facts.

Most people couldn't read a scientific study or the stats related to it to save their own lives. Part of it is the way it is written -the other being that too many people just look for the headline of the story and consider it fact.

Worse yet, this type of article can/will be used by lawyers to get people "off" for driving infractions.

[Stijloor]

In Reply to Parent Post by Jim Wynne

Before you turn inside-out, there are a few things to consider. The popular press (including news websites these days) is very bad at covering science stories, and will often favor hyperbole and sensationalism over a sober review of the facts. In this case, without looking further, all we really know is that an interesting correlation might have been found. That's it. Folks who frequent the Cove should know that correlation ≠ causation.

The other thing to consider is that websites that are supported by advertising set their rates based on hit counts and page views, and playing up a story like this causes lots of links, including the one in the OP. Links and hits = $$$. So the more a story is sensationalized, the more money it's likely to be worth.

Very true! The purpose of news entertainment in whatever form or medium is not to enlighten, but to sell ads. Period.
Reader beware and move on.

Stijloor.

[Juan Dude]

I thought this story was worth a nice laugh and that's it, that's why I didn't put it in the serious news forum

[Ted Schmitt]

Just read this in my local online news :

A 68 year old South Korean woman from the city of Wanju, finally managed to pass her written exam for her drivers license.... the catch is : it was her 950th time taking the written test !!!!

She has been trying almost daily to pass the written test ever since Abril 2005.

She estimates she spent around US$ 4.200 in fees !!!

If anyone would like to read it in Portuguese... here´s the link http://http://g1.globo.com/Noticias/...TENTATIVA.html