According to a study conducted by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder, an online employment website, road rage in American is more prevalent than one would think. Road rage is an angry and sometimes violent response from drivers who are stressed and frustrated with their commute.
The study surveyed 3,800 commuters between May 14 and June 4 of 2012. All of the commuters surveyed were employed full-time and 83 percent of them drove to work. The study exposed some surprising statistics:
- More than half of drivers surveyed experienced road rage. The data showed that three in five commuters surveyed experienced road rage during their commute. It also found that 9 percent of commuters encountered an angry altercation with another commuter.
- Women were more susceptible to road rage than men. About 60 percent of the women surveyed admitted to road rage compared to 56 percent of the men.
- Road rage is more common in the younger generation. Roughly 70 percent of 25-34 year old drivers experienced road rage, compared to only 47 percent of people ages 55 plus.
- Drivers with short commutes experienced road rage. About 37 percent of drivers whose commute is less than five minutes experience road rage.
The results also revealed that road rage occurs more frequently when drivers are running late and when the weather is hot. Drivers with longer commutes were also prone to road rage.
Along with texting or eating, road rage is a dangerous practice that increases the risk of car accidents. Mitigating the potential for road rage is important and essential for everyone on the road. CareerBuilder offers tips to combat road rage. Allocating extra time to get to work, switching schedules to avoid peak rush hour times, utilizing public transportation, listening to soothing music.
Source: CBS, Study Reveals Women More Prone to Road Rage Than Men, July 27, 2012
