Can bad driving be down to genes?

Image © Christian Kieffer - Fotolia.com

Wed 4 November 2009

Not my fault officer!

Bad drivers may now have the perfect excuse - they can blame it on their genes, and research will back them up.

A study carried out in the United States found that people with a genetic variation in a particular gene performed more than 20% worse on simulated driving tests compared to people without it. Around 30% of Americans have the variation.

"These people make more errors from the get-go, and they forget more of what they learned after time away," said Dr. Steven Cramer, an associate professor in neurology at the University of California at Irvine.

In the study, 29 people took a simulated driving test – 22 without the genetic variation and seven with it. Participants had to drive 15 laps on a simulator which required them to learn to negotiate difficult curves and turns. Records were kept on how well they stayed on the course over time. The experiment was then repeated four days later.

Results showed that people with the gene variation did worse on both tests compared with the other participants. And they also remembered less the second time.

The gene helps control a protein called brain derived neutrotrophic facor, which affects memory and communication between brain cells.

But it's not all bad news, the scientists say. Studies have found that people with the genetic variation retain their mental sharpness longer than those without it when neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's, Huntington's and multiple sclerosis strike.

"If you want to learn a new skill or have had a stroke and need to regenerate brain cells, there's evidence that having the variant is not good. But if you've got a disease that affects cognitive function, there's evidence it can act in your favour."

Fortunately, a test to determine whether someone has the genetic variation is not commercially available. Insurance companies may be interested.

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