Aggressive honking, tailgating, cutting off other drivers, and purposeful collisions are just a few behaviors considered acts of road rage. In your daily commute, you may rarely see this behavior, but a 2014 study from the American Automobile Association's (AAA) Foundation for Traffic Safety found road rage is more common than you may think.
The Results of a Self-Reported Driving Behavior Survey Were Astonishing
The AAA researchers gathered survey responses from 2,705 licensed drivers ages 16 and older. The researchers asked these participants to reveal how often they engaged in the following aggressive driving behaviors:
- Tailgated another vehicle
- Tried to block another vehicle from changing lanes
- Purposefully cut off another vehicle
- Hit another vehicle on purpose
- Honked their horn to show anger or frustration
- Made an angry gesture at another driver
- Yelled at another driver
- Left their vehicle to confront another driver
These behaviors are common among aggressive drivers and all of them, even yelling inside your vehicle at another driver can have serious consequences.
What were the most common instances of road rage?
Among those surveyed, 2.7 percent admitted to yelling at other drivers on a regular basis. The next most popular regular actions were tailgating (1.8 percent) and honking in anger or frustration (1.3 percent). Drivers also admitted to engaging in the following "fairly often:"
- Making angry gestures at other drivers: 3.4 percent
- Honking to show frustration (not to avoid an accident): 5.7 percent
- Tailgating: 7.4 percent
- Yelling at other drivers: 9.1 percent
Who is most likely to engage in road rage?
When looking at the driver demographics in the survey, male drivers between the ages of 25 to 39 are most likely to engage in road rage. The age group that engaged the least in road rage was the 75+ group in all but one category. The oldest group of drivers was more likely than the 40-to-74 age group to intentionally bump or ram another vehicle.
The drivers surveyed traveled through several types of driving environments. The incidences of road rage did not vary much between the country, small or medium-sized towns, or small or large cities. Road rage was more prevalent in drivers from the northeast and midwestern regions, but only slightly lower in the south and west areas of the United States.
Know What to Do When Confronted with an Aggressive Driver
Drivers engaged in road rage are more likely to cause accidents due to their preoccupation with anger and frustration. If you experience a driver engaged in road rage events while driving, know how to diffuse the situation or remove yourself from harm's way.
If you suffer an injury from the actions of an aggressive driver, call The Law Office of Jason R. Schultz, P.C. Our legal team helps injured drivers seek compensation for damages caused by a road raging driver. Contact our office today to schedule an appointment: 404-474-0804.
