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As UK roads become more congested, new research suggests they are causing
an increase in road rage. And motorists in our over-crowded Capital are
the most likely to suffer as a result.
Leading car insurer Admiral has surveyed over 1,000 motorists about road
rage as part of its Annual Drivers' Survey. The main points it has discovered
are:
- Motorists feel road rage more often this year than last year
- 40% of motorists have been verbally attacked and 6% have been physically
attacked by another driver in the last year
- More women than men often feel angry when driving, but men are more
likely to commit road rage
- Men are also more likely than women to be a victim of road rage
- Motorists in London feel angriest and are the most likely to be a
victim of road rage
- Motorists in Northern Ireland feel the least angry when driving
- Motorists in Scotland are the least likely to be a victim of road
rage
In 2003, 72% said they sometimes or often felt angry with other motorists
when they were driving. This year the figure has risen to 80%. This could
be because of the increased stress caused by driving as our roads become
more congested and traffic jams become more frequent.
Perhaps not surprisingly it is motorists in London who feel the angriest
behind the wheel. 27% of them said they often felt angry with other motorists.
Those in Northern Ireland are the calmest. Only 10% said they often felt
angry. More surprising is that women feel angrier than men do. 21% of
them said they often feel angry, compared with 18% of men.
However it is men who are more likely to act upon that anger and verbally
abuse other drivers. 28% said they had shouted at another driver in the
last year, compared with 20% of women. Again those in London are the most
likely to verbally abuse another driver, closely followed by those in
the North East and the West Midlands. Motorists in Northern Ireland are
the least likely, with the Scots and those in East Anglia close behind.
Admiral managing director, Jane Stone, said, "It seems clear from
our survey that motorists living in the most densely populated parts of
the country are also the angriest. It's probably fair to say that this
is due to the congested roads they have to face daily."
40% of the motorists Admiral questioned said they had been verbally abused
this year. This is up from 24% last year. 6% said they had been physically
attacked. This too is up on last year when it was 2%. More men than women
said they had been a victim of road rage and again Londoners top the list,
52% here said they had been abused. Motorists in the South East were second
at 47%. At the other end of the table only 29% of Scots and 30% of those
in the West Country said they had been verbally attacked.
Admiral managing director, Jane Stone, said, "Driving is stressful,
and it is easy to take that stress out on others, but perhaps motorists
should stop and think before they resort to shouting. We are all in the
same position; we all want to get somewhere as easily and safely as possible.
What does abusing another motorist actually achieve?
"Sadly it looks like road rage will continue to increase because
there is no sign of congestion on our roads easing. Perhaps road rage
is yet another drawback of having more cars on our roads."
Road Rage - Results
1. Do you ever feel angry with other motorists when you are driving?
| |
Men |
Women |
Overall |
| Yes, often |
18.4% |
20.6% |
19.5% |
| Now and again |
60.8% |
61.1% |
60.6% |
| Not really |
18.4% |
17.5% |
17.8% |
| Never |
2.4% |
0.8% |
2.1% |
| |
East Anglia |
East Midlands |
London |
Northern Ireland |
North West |
North East |
| Yes |
18.0% |
23.5% |
25.7% |
9.7% |
23.3% |
19.2% |
| Now & again |
62.3% |
56.8% |
54.9% |
61.3% |
63.3% |
69.2% |
| Not really |
19.7% |
19.7% |
18.7% |
25.8% |
10.1% |
9.8% |
| Never |
0.0% |
0.0% |
0.7% |
3.2% |
3.3% |
1.8% |
| |
Scotland |
South East |
South West |
Wales |
West Midlands |
Yorkshire |
| Yes |
15.0% |
16.7% |
19.8% |
25.0% |
18.4% |
25.7% |
| Now & again |
64.6% |
60.9% |
59.3% |
46.4% |
65.3% |
65.7% |
| Not really |
18.6% |
21.1% |
17.6% |
25.0% |
14.6% |
8.6% |
| Never |
1.8% |
1.3% |
3.3% |
3.6% |
1.7% |
0.0% |
2. Have you ever verbally attacked another driver because of road rage?
| |
Men |
Women |
Overall |
| Yes |
28.3% |
20.1% |
23.9% |
| No |
71.7% |
79.9% |
76.1% |
| |
East Anglia |
East Midlands |
London |
Northern Ireland |
North West |
North East |
| Yes |
18.3% |
29.4% |
31.9% |
9.7% |
30.0% |
31.4% |
| No |
81.7% |
70.6% |
68.1% |
90.3% |
70.0% |
68.6% |
| |
Scotland |
South East |
South West |
Wales |
West Midlands |
Yorkshire |
| Yes |
16.1% |
21.1% |
24.2% |
19.2% |
31.2% |
18.9% |
| No |
83.9% |
78.9% |
75.8% |
80.8% |
68.8% |
81.1% |
3. Have you ever physically attacked another driver or their property
because of road rage?
| |
Men |
Women |
Overall |
| Yes |
0.9% |
0.2% |
0.6% |
| No |
99.1% |
99.8% |
99.4% |
4. Have you ever been verbally attacked by another driver because of
road rage?
| |
Men |
Women |
Overall |
| Yes |
45.7% |
35.4% |
40.1% |
| Not that I know of |
54.3% |
64.6% |
59.9% |
| |
East Anglia |
East Midlands |
London |
Northern Ireland |
North West |
North East |
| Yes |
46.7% |
31.4% |
52.1% |
38.7% |
31.7% |
42.3% |
| No |
53.3% |
68.6% |
47.9% |
61.7% |
68.3% |
57.7% |
| |
Scotland |
South East |
South West |
Wales |
West Midlands |
Yorkshire |
| Yes |
28.6% |
47.4% |
29.7% |
33.3% |
37.5% |
31.4% |
| No |
71.4% |
52.6% |
70.3% |
66.7% |
62.5% |
68.6% |
5. Have you or has your property ever been attacked by another driver
because of road rage?
| |
Men |
Women |
Overall |
| Yes |
7.0% |
3.9% |
5.6% |
| Not that I know of |
93.0% |
96.1% |
94.4% |
6. Do you think the government should introduce special legislation to
tackle road rage?
| |
Men |
Women |
Overall |
| Yes |
64.9% |
69.1% |
67.0% |
| No |
16.9% |
8.2% |
12.2% |
| Don't know |
18.2% |
22.7% |
20.8% |
Issue date: 29-07-04
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