Skip to main content

Aggressive drivers make others aggressive

Aggressive driving by one person behind the wheel can result in others following suit. That is the conclusion of a new study carried out by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and tyre manufacturer Goodyear. The conclusion of the research reveals that when one driver behaves aggressively, others will respond with similar behaviour. The study was carried out in 15 separate countries and included close to 9,000 drivers.
December 7, 2015 Read time: 2 mins
Aggressive driving by one person behind the wheel can result in others following suit. That is the conclusion of a new study carried out by the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and tyre manufacturer 5010 Goodyear. The conclusion of the research reveals that when one driver behaves aggressively, others will respond with similar behaviour. The study was carried out in 15 separate countries and included close to 9,000 drivers.

Of those who participated, 87% said that when other drivers behave badly, they are also likely to do so. And 55% of those surveyed also admitted that when they have been angered by the behaviour of one driver, they may then exhibit a similar reaction to other road users. Meanwhile, when drivers show patience and respect for each other, this behaviour will also be reciprocated and repeated.

Typical triggers for anger at other road users can stem from issues such as tailgating, poor lane discipline, incorrect signalling or careless manoeuvres at junctions.

The study also reveals that certain drivers are not only dangerous themselves but also trigger similar behaviour in others, potentially resulting in crashes elsewhere entirely.

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • RAP use in the US
    May 24, 2023
    According to the National Asphalt Paving Association (NAPA), the use of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP) is increasing in the US.
  • Rapid adoption of GPS machine control
    April 5, 2012
    The high sophistication of GPS machine control systems has resulted in a fast pace of technological advancement. The three major players in the machine control sector, Leica Geosystems, Topcon and Trimble have all made major gains in recent years. The sophistication of the latest systems can combine satellite position data from the GPS and GLONASS networks with information from total stations to provide precise, high speed machine operation. Further more the firms have also prepared themselves for the intro
  • India's road safety management innovations
    February 27, 2012
    Rohit Baluja is a man with a mission, and that is to help reduce the grim accident toll on India's roads, the worst in the world. Baluja, a shoemaker by trade, has been studying for a PhD in civil engineering, and this has involved regular trips to Birmingham, UK, to complete his doctorate. All this seems far removed from 18 years ago when in December 1991, using much of his own money, he founded the Institute of Road Traffic Education (IRTE), the only organisation in India that conducts accident investiga
  • European road safety alert
    December 18, 2024
    A European-wide road safety alert!