Risk factors and prevention strategies for road rage incidents

¶ … road rage and its elements. The writer explores the various risk factors of road rage and supplies suggestions in how to reduce its incidence. There were five sources used to complete this paper.

Imagine driving down the road thinking about what you are going to eat for dinner when you get home when suddenly in your rear view mirror you see a car about two inches from your bumper. The driver is making obscene gestures and gunning his engine in an obvious effort to get you to speed up. You check your speedometer and find you are going 10 miles over the posted speed limit so you don't speed up. Within seconds the drive behind you swerves into the oncoming traffic lane and speeds up beside the driver window and points a gun at your head screaming obscenities. Where do you go? What do you do? Your heart is pounding as the driver pulls in front of you and then slams his breaks almost making you rear end him before he speeds away in a huff.

This is a scene that can and does happen on the world's highways and is commonly referred to as road rage. It is a phenomena that is not completely new but has increased in the past few years (McGarva, 2006).

While road rage is a relatively new occurrence on today's highways research is already under way to determine the risk actors involved so that plans can be made to educate people on how to reduce their chance of encountering it themselves.

If the most common risk factors can be identified then steps can be taken to help make the roads safer by knowing how not to incite an incident.

ROAD RAGE

Studies have indicated that there has been a significant increase in the number of road rage incidences within the past 15 years. Road rage is up 51% compared to what it was in 1990 and it doesn't appear to be slowing down according to all indications.

Aggressive driving incidences are being reported daily. They range in severity from being cussed out on the road to being shot and everything in between. Over time people have reported being assaulted with golf clubs, baseball bats, tire irons, shotguns, handguns and other weapons as well as been dragged out of their car and physically assaulted for their failure to speed up, move over or get out of the way when another driver thought that they should (Rage, 1998).

The AAA study found that 37% of road-rage drivers used firearms against other drivers; 28% used other weapons; and 35% used their car to ram another driver or car. Fifty-five percent of road rage cases are committed by men, and 45% by women. Road rage is also blamed for a high percentage of accidents and traffic deaths (Rage, 1998)."

With these numbers consistently climbing the time has come to get to the root of the problem, discover the triggers and learn how to avoid them so the roads can become safe again.

RISK FACTORS

Research has been done to identify the risk factors that contribute to road rage incidences with measurable success.

Before one can understand what the individual risk factors are it is important to understand what the societal risk factors may be. Roads have become more crowded than ever before. With people on cell phones, fax machines, working to jobs and rushing to get over scheduled children to all of their events and lessons it has placed a stress on the nation's highways and side streets.

What used to be common courtesy has given way to tailgating, honking horns and obscene gestures if someone perceives that another driver is going to cause them to be late in their schedule (Sharkin, 2004).

Based on one estimate, there may be as many as 400 billion hostile exchanges between motorists in the United States in 1-year alone (Sharkin, 2004)."

While the term road rage is used to accompany any display of anger while driving research has indicated that mild incidences can and do lead to more violent incidences. This gives value to studying all road rage issues and learning to avoid their triggers.

Past research has discovered that some of the elements of modern day commuting and driving contribute to negative emotions and building anger. They include traffic congestion and travel difficulty. These factors have been shown to have a negative impact on the mood, behavior and health of those who are caught up in it.

Traffic jams and running late on the way to appointments have been shown to cause annoyance and to contribute to the anger that often precursors incidences of road rage (Sharkin, 2004).

Further research found that there was a lower number of road rage incidence in low congestion areas than there was in areas of higher congestion.

A study conducted in 1995 found that part of the allure of road rage is that it is a relatively "anonymous" act against drivers that one does not know therefore it gives the aggressor a feeling of anonymity. The study had a driver pull in front of vehicles over and over again while those driver responses were recorded. Those who had it happen during a green light honked longer and louder than those who had it happen when they were still stuck at a red light. The indication was that those at the green lights knew they could keep driving, therefore remain anonymous and would display more aggression (Sharkin, 2004).

Another element of aggressive driving questions revolves around the personality of the drivers involved. In a study conducted by Lajunen and Parker in 2001 examined a sample of drivers with different ages and backgrounds to determine if those who are involved in acts of aggressive driving are generally aggressive people (Sharkin, 2004).

The study found that generally angry and aggressive people were in fact more prone to acts of aggression on the road as well. Those who commit acts of road rage are being charged in court with crimes ranging from misdemeanor harassment to murder (Carroll, 2005).

There is evidence to suggest that some people may have a greater propensity to become angry frequently and intensely while driving, referred to as "trait driving anger (Sharkin, 2004)."

CONCLUSION

There are several identified risk factors for road rage including general personality traits, constantly running late and responding in such a manner as to cause the situation to escalate. To curb and reduce the number of road rage incidents the time has come for both the aggressive drivers and the potential victims to receive education on how to avoid the situations. The education should be part of any driver education curriculum and there should be public service announcements made regularly through the media. Only by education will awareness happen and reduction follow.