Road Rage Is on the Rise, Due

Road Rage is on the rise, due to increased crowding on city streets, long commutes and tired drivers. Road rage is caused by a variety of factors, most of which could be avoided. The top two causes of road rage include being cut off and tailgated. Road rage has serious consequences. Many accidents result from road rage, and in extreme circumstances death can occur. The causes and effects of road rage are explored further below.

Road rage is the number one cause of motor vehicle job-related death in the United States (McKernan, 1999). Road rage can provoke all manner of behaviors, including physical and violent confrontation (McKernan, 1999). People studying road rage have concluded that two of the most prevalent causes of road rage including being cut off and tailgating. Motorists become angry when drivers don't use turn signals, shift between lanes improperly and swerve back and forth between lanes (Pagewise, 2001).

This type of driving behavior is dangerous and has caused many accidents and traffic tie ups, which typically result in further incidents of road rage. Additionally, people talking on their cellular phones while driving often drive erratically and contribute to other motorists frustrations and anger (McKernan, 1999). Road rage often results in one or more motorists engaging in violent and angry gestures, more erratic driving, and attempts to "get back at" the person who has offended them on the road.

Road rage is also caused when accidents occur on overcrowded streets and motorists are left to sit in their cars for sometimes hours at a time. If the motorist is already running late or in a hurry to be somewhere, it is likely that they will exhibit increased effects from road rage, possibly endangering themselves and others.

In a study conducted at Colorado State University, scientists revealed that one in four drivers typically has "repeated bouts of anger that led to actions like yelling, giving the finger, gunning the engine, speeding and cutting off another car" (applesforhealth, 1999). Even individuals who typically maintain a level head can find themselves becoming more hostile when driving. Most drivers are not taught how to cope with frustration while driving, and thus their behavior becomes erratic whence confronted with unpleasant motorists.

As roads become more crowded and commutes continue to be long, the incidences of road rage are likely to only increase. Road rage violence increased 7% in a five-year period ending in 1995, those figures are likely double in 2003 (applesforhealth, 1999). Short of building additional roads to help ease overcrowding, different solutions to road rage must be sought to keep the general population safe. Educational programs targeted at first time drivers and repeat offenders may help defuse some of the behaviors typically associated with road rage.

Many states do not even require first time drivers to participate in driver education anymore. However such programs might.