Why does driving make us so angry?

Ever had to deal with an irate motorist?

Exactly where I live, the question ought to probably be: “Ever come across a motorist who is not mouthing obscenities, flashing their lights, leaning on their horn and generating hand gestures that defy explanation to your kids sitting in the back?”

Or maybe that says far more about my driving than something else.

Be that as it may, it seems road rage is endemic. A staggering 81% of drivers have been victims of road rage, according to a current survey by Carwow.co.uk.

It’s your shout…

Shouting would seem to be the most frequent expression of anger. But aggressive or hazardous driving and verbal abuse are also normal occurrences.

And a single in 5 drivers has been threatened in a road rage incident.

But if road rage is so frequent, how come 51% of us claim we never ever give in to our aggression? Is it really the case that only 30% of us enable anger to get the far better of us once or twice a month, as the survey suggests – or are we too ashamed to ’fess up and admit we do our fair share of yelling and gesticulating?

Authority figures

The authorities have tried to crack down on road rage by introducing £100 penalties for poor driving habits, such as tailgating and lane hogging.

Very whether this will have the desired impact remains to be noticed. After all, if you are prone to tantrums that make your veins stand out on your temples, are you genuinely going to be in a position to modify your behaviour at will?

The root of the issue is surely woven into how vehicles and driving have an effect on our psychology.

Most of us behave differently when we’re driving. We shed our inhibitions because we feel anonymous and immune.

In other words, we make rude gestures at other motorists behind the wheel that we would never dream of generating face to face.

Fighting the fury

So whilst it is tempting to blame road rage on a certain group of dilemma drivers, we should all acknowledge our prospective to shed our rags and believe about how we can steer clear of confrontation, stress and accidents.

Here’s a handful of ideas:

• enable plenty of time for your journey. If you are late, you are a lot a lot more most likely to be aggressive


• don’t get behind the wheel if you are upset, angry or unwell (or hungover – a disastrous thought for all manner of causes, not least the fact that you’re probably nevertheless more than the limit)


• do not enable your self to be distracted by music, phones, maps or passengers


• do your very best not to antagonize other drivers. So, no lane hogging, inappropriate use of the horn, flashing your headlights, tailgating or cutting-up


• wave an apology if you make a mistake as the acknowledgement can defuse a potentially explosive predicament


• don’t competing with other drivers. It’s a public highway, not a racetrack


• if a person else is driving aggressively, don’t make eye get in touch with, shout or gesticulate.

What if you’re the victim?

It is most likely happened to all of us. You abruptly uncover oneself on the receiving end of a barrage of abuse and aggressive behaviour.

So what’s the best method?

Tailgaters can be particularly intimidating, but you should never ever compromise your personal safety. So, do not speed up or brake all of a sudden.

Instead, try and locate a protected way to let the tailgater pass. For instance, you may possibly drive twice round a roundabout.

If a driver is persistently aggressive, you may want to head to a safe, public location and call the police. Never allow an angry driver to stick to you property.

And if the motorist gets out of the vehicle to strategy you, lock the doors and do not open the window. It can also assist to make a note of the registration number and a description of the driver and the automobile.

Temper your temper

It’s not constantly easy to keep calm on the roads, specifically if you are stuck in heavy targeted traffic or cut up by an inconsiderate motorist. But losing your temper is not going to help.

In truth, it is more likely to make things worse.

So next time you feel the anger increasing, take a deep breath, smile and count to 8.

Why does driving make us so angry?