12-10-2010

Recently published results have found that most drivers regularly suffer from some form of road rage, and nearly a third admit that anger with other road users makes their own driving worse.

Of the 1,400 respondents to a recent online poll, 70 percent stated that other road users frequently made them angry, with 28 percent admitting that their anger affected their driving ability.

Tailgating was the behaviour most irritating to drivers, with 28 percent classing it as the most provocative, while 22 percent felt other drivers talking on their phone was the biggest instigator of anger.

Centre lane hogging was also high up on the list, with 15 percent of drivers admitting to being riled by such behaviour. Other irritants include aggressive driving, failing to indicate and bad lane discipline.

Neil Greig, the director of research and policy from the Institute of Advanced Motoring, said: “It is good to see motorists disapproving of bad driving; especially mobile phone use which is actually on the rise, but it’s worrying so many individuals let anger affect their driving. With long commutes and increased congestion making driving particularly stressful, drivers must learn to manage the ‘red mist’.”

Over a third of drivers found passengers most distracting, with more than 60 percent saying they pay less attention to the roads while passengers are in the car.

The IAM survey revealed the top distractions are:

• Passengers
• Billboards and other advertising
• Watching out for safety cameras
• Mobile phones
• In car entertainment
• Sat Navs

Mr Greig added: “It’s all about self control - good drivers spot the signs of potential road rage and do everything they can to steer clear of it”. If you feel your blood starting to boil there are certain steps you should take:

• Pull over and separate yourself from the cause of your anger - usually another driver
• Never react with a gesture or use your car as a weapon
• Pull over to a safe place if you feel threatened
• Apologise for your own mistakes - a cheery wave does a lot to diffuse tension

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