Some aggressive driving behaviors have increased over the past decade while others have actually fallen, but nearly all drivers say they’ve engaged in them.
AAA discovered the trends in a recent update of a study its Foundation for Traffic Safety first conducted in 2016. Comparing today’s results with the original, it found aggressive driving feeds on itself.
Since 2016, cutting off fellow motorists has jumped 67% and honking in anger 47%, according to this year’s study.
That’s particularly concerning because AAA said it found that the more drivers experience others’ aggression on the road, the more likely they are to drive aggressively themselves. An overwhelming majority of drivers who participated in the study – 96% – said they had driven aggressively at some point over the past year.
On the extreme end, 11% of motorists said they’ve acted violently on the road, including intentionally bumping another vehicle and confronting a fellow motorist.
Some study participants who drive large pickups, sports cars or motorcycles said they feel more powerful in them, and many motorists perceive drivers of those vehicles to be more aggressive.
Mysteriously, tailgating and yelling at other drivers buck the trend of increasing aggression, down 24% and 17%, respectively since 2016.
Since aggression appears to beget aggression, AAA advises drivers to abandon the urge to react on the road. Instead, courtesy and ignoring bad behavior can foster a more peaceful motoring environment. Using turn signals and giving others space to merge are among recommended de-escalating habits.
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