Blame genetics for bad driving, study finds

I'm posting this here rather than LBN because it seems likely to lead to long-term debates about things like the ethics of genetic testing and how genetic markers could be used to charge different rates for car insurance.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/TECH/science/10/29/bad.driver.gene/index.html?eref=igoogle_cnn

My comment: Frankly I am not at all surprised by the result. It matches my casual observations over time that some people are just klutzes when it comes to driving, and that doesn't seem to correlate with other things like overall intelligence.

I see way too many people with poor driving skills driving unforgiving vehicles like SUVs and minivans. Add distractions like cell phones and GPS units, and a person who has the genetic problem with BDNF secretions, and you may have a real menace on the highway.

I'd like to see a test developed for this problem, if the study is correct, and make it available for people so they can use the information to evaluate their own limits. I don't want to see insurance companies getting the data and denying coverage or charging higher premiums to people who have the condition, because if it is like many genetic markers it may or may not be predictive of an individual's driving ability. Obviously there are many factors that can make a person a bad driver, so it makes sense to me to continue using actual driving records as a measure for assessing risk.

I do support laws limiting or banning use of hand-held devices while driving, and I am a strong supporter of mandatory seat belts. I also believe that because SUVs and other non-conventional vehicles tend to be difficult to drive, their use by inexperienced drivers should be limited.