Be proud Britain, we’re still the maddest road users in the world!
Nearly nine in 10 UK drivers said they had been road rage victims at least once, a survey has found. Road rage had been experienced more than 10 times, 20% of those interviewed said, with more than 70% committing the offence themselves.
The latest statistics backed up a recent Gallup poll which showed Britain was the leading country in the world for road rage, with 80.4% of UK drivers being victims of it. Of those who admitted committing road rage to motoring magazine Max Power, three in five said they felt “fine” about it, adding that victims “deserved it”.
Only 14% showed any remorse, and said their bad mood had affected their actions. The survey also showed that road rage was likely to happen in the afternoon and evening, in a town, and mainly in south-east England.
The most common action was gesticulating, while in one in seven cases victims faced an aggressor who got out of the car and physically or verbally abused them. Only 7% reported incidents to the police.
Road Rage Videos
Thanks to the wide availability of dash cams, GoPros and similar recording devices, it’s easier than ever to catch road ragers in the act and potentially name and shame them.
A recent survey of UK cyclists has revealed that 56% have been victims of road rage, while 30% say they’re receiving it on a regular basis.
Avoiding Road Rage
Whilst driving do not over-react to, or panic about, another driver’s error, bad driving or poor attitude. They may be unaware of their actions. Try to stay away from them and concentrate on driving well and within the law.
Avoid getting into conflict with another driver. There will be some bad drivers who are looking for a reaction or conflict. “Competing” with another driver could lead to the incident becoming serious.
Keep your mind focused on your driving. When confronted by an irate driver don’t engage in gestures, headlight flashing or sounding the horn as this will serve no purpose and may exacerbate the situation. It will also distract you.
Concentrate on driving responsibly.
Refrain from eye contact with an angry or aggressive driver as this has the potential to make the situation worse.
If you find you are being followed by an impatient driver, don’t allow yourself to be intimidated or made to increase your speed. Without actually pulling over or stopping, find a safe opportunity to allow that driver to pass.
If your mood is affected by an incident during your journey, once you have moved away from any danger, find an opportunity to stop and take time out.
Focus on the present and your driving rather than the destination or purpose of the journey.