Combat your road rage

05/03/08

One in three motorists has been a victim of road rage in the last three years. 

One in three motorists has been a victim of road rage in the last three years according to a report issued this week. 

The study commissioned by Zurich Insurance revealed that more than ten million drivers have been the subject of aggressive and sometimes dangerous driving since 2005.

A large proportion of motorists had been victims of potentially dangerous driving with 48 per cent being tailgated and 42 per cent cut up on the road. Fifteen per cent of victims had been pursued by another driver and 12 per cent of motorists, confronted or threatened face-to-face.

The research was compiled from interviews with 1,160 drivers, with the results suggesting that some motorists may be in denial about their own behaviour on the road.

While 64 per cent admitted to some sort of aggressive behaviour, 77 per cent of these felt that their actions were justified. Some motorists even claimed it was good to be slightly aggressive when driving with 59% per cent confessing that bad driving had driven them to it.

Mike Quinton, of Zurich Insurance, said: "It is clear the pressures of modern driving are increasingly adding to the nation's stress levels.

"A stressed driver is more likely to be a dangerous driver, so we urge all motorists to take precautions if they feel the red mist descending."

The worst area in the UK for road rage was East Anglia, while the safest was South-East England. Evening rush hour is worst for aggression, while roads near schools were deemed the most stressful places to drive.