Millions of Americans Admit Aggressive Driving, Road Rage

There are 160 million angry drivers out there, making the likelihood of a car accident even greater.

A recent study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that about 78% of drivers in the U.S. reported expressing aggression or road rage in the past year.

About 3 percent, or 5.7 million drivers, admitted they had bumped another vehicle on purpose due to anger. About 4 percent (7.6 million drivers) reported that they had gotten out of the car to confront another driver.

Men were three times more likely than women to purposely hit another car out of road rage or to get out of their cars to confront another driver.

Drivers in the Northeast were more likely than other drivers to make an angry gesture from behind the wheel.

Here’s a breakdown of some of the most common aggressive driving and road rage behaviors:

• Purposefully tailgating: 51% (104 million drivers)
• Yelling at another driver: 47%(95 million drivers)
• Honking to show annoyance or anger: 45% (91 million drivers)
• aking angry gestures: 33% (67 million drivers)
• Trying to block another vehicle from changing lanes: 24% (49 million drivers)
• Cutting off another vehicle on purpose: 12% (24 million drivers)
• Getting out of the vehicle to confront another driver: 4% (8 million drivers)
• Bumping or ramming another vehicle on purpose: 3% (6 million drivers)

AAA also differentiates between “aggressive driving,” which can include potentially dangerous but generally non-confrontational behavior like tailgating, and “road rage” behavior like yelling, sideswiping, or other dangerous activities that can lead to an altercation or crash.

Keep Calm Behind the Wheel

Whether it’s yelling, speeding through traffic, tailgating, or a more violent confrontation, aggressive driving behavior puts everyone in the area at risk.

Aggressive driving isn’t just a bad habit. It can be extremely dangerous and lead to car accidents or physical altercations, putting innocent people in harm’s way. While it can be hard to stay calm in heavy traffic, or when you witness another driver doing something that is irritating, illegal, or dangerous, it is important not to let your emotions get the best of you. Practice tolerance, and don’t take other drivers’ actions personally. If you see someone driving in an unsafe manner, absolutely alert the police, but do not get personally involved.

With approximately 205 million drivers in the United States, it’s imperative that we strive to be considerate, responsible drivers.

If you have been in a car crash with an aggressive driver, contact the personal injury lawyers at Munley Law Personal Injury Attorneys for a free consultation. There is no fee unless we win.