October 24, 2022

Road Rage and Driving Anxiety

10 minutes

Let’s face it, driving can be stressful. Traffic jams, distracted drivers, car trouble: all these factors can lead to a commute that leaves you wanting to pull your hair out. However, the way you react to these stressors can affect you and your fellow motorists’ safety in a major way. Let’s talk about the ways road rage and driving anxiety can be dangerous, and how you can keep these common emotions under control.

Aggressive driving and road rage — what is it?

Road rage and aggressive driving is defensive driving’s dangerous little brother. According to Merriam-Webster, it is defined as a motorist’s uncontrolled anger that is usually provoked by another motorist’s irritating act and is expressed in aggressive or violent behavior. It usually manifests in these types of dangerous actions:

Screaming

Laying on the horn

Following too closely to the car in front of you

Stalking someone who cut you off

Blocking traffic

Purposely cutting people off

Leaving the car to try to have a physical altercation

Bumping another car

Speeding

Weaving through traffic

Driving on the sidewalk or median

Road rage and frustration around road rage is increasing, even in the last couple of years when many drivers have been driving less. A 2021 survey by insurance comparison site The Zebra found that 35% of people are driving less today, but 1 in 5 drivers experience more frustration than before the pandemic. Of those surveyed, 95% said they had observed road rage or aggressive driving in the past year, but only 64% of drivers admitted to doing it.

Source Material:
road rage and driving anxiety