06.08.07 Road rage a growing problem on British roads
In a recent development, a study carried out by the independent road safety organization, DriveSafe has suggested that some five million British drivers admit to having expressed some form of road rage this year. Road rage can manifest itself in a number of ways. The most common forms include aggressive acceleration, speeding (or deliberately driving slowly on a motorway), verbal abuse, weaving through traffic and in rare cases, the use of a firearm. The statistics generated by the DriveSafe study, entitled “Courtesy on the Road” were startling.
- 43% of motorists believed that they had been the victim of road rage at some point. One researcher, responsible for undertaking this study, noted the extent of the problem in a recent interview, stating “This initial investigation suggests that experience and fear of aggression on the roads is perhaps a bigger issue than previously thought.”
- 16% of drivers admitted to having “initiated a road range incident.”
- Men are more likely to engage in violent behaviour whilst behind the wheel. 55% of motorists polled believed that men under the age of 25 were to be blamed for the high incidence of road rage on British roads. This is due in part to the so-called ‘chavvish’ and ‘yob’ attitudes held by some young motorists.
A number of theories have been put forward to explain these stunning road rage figures. Music, it is thought, can significantly influence a motorist’s mood. 65% of those polled admitted that listening to certain types of music, such as rap, when driving altered their mood, often making them more aggressive. Other factors that have been blamed for increased occurrences of road rage include the type of car being driven and the stress levels of the driver.
The DriveSafe report also indicates that the British government has done little to reduce incidences of road rage on British roads. According to Fay Goodman, DriveSafe’s personal safety expert and spokesperson, “It’s concerning that so many drivers have been affected by incidences of road rage. Education is key to ensuring that drivers are taught not only the skills of how to drive a car, but also how to behave appropriately when behind the wheel. It is essential that learner drivers are taught early on how to drive responsibly on the road.”
The DriveSafe report indicated that 62% of motorists believed that educational institutions had a duty to instruct young people on how to become courteous drivers. As such, researchers at Aston University, which helped carry out this survey for DriveSafe, have urged the government to consider introducing lessons on road courtesy into the current school curriculum for Personal and Social Education (PSE).
Have you been the victim of road rage? Do you feel that young people’s attitudes are largely to blame for Britain’s road rage problem? Think the government has done too little to combat this problem?
Is road rage on the rise in the UK?
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If people learned how to drive I wouldn't have to get so mad! Honestly, put the pedal to the metal people!
Road rage wouldn't be a problem if the standards of driving in the UK were better - people, you have indicators for a reason!
Road Rage is on the rise big time - I know of several people who've been chased and then physically and verbally assaulted - it makes me sad to be a Human Being when I see what happens in the World.