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

  • 1 in 10 car accidents distraction-related, survey claims
    June 1, 2012
    Every tenth car accident in Germany, Austria and Switzerland relates to driver distraction, according to a new survey. Further findings of the survey titled ‘Distraction in Traffic’ by the ACT Allianz Center for Technology in Munich, Germany found that more than 25% of drivers work on their styling, clothing and body care behind the wheel. People are particularly prone to engaging in body care while driving to work. Altogether 27% of respondents to the survey admitted to sometimes doing one or more of these
    Read More
  • UK’s Institute of Advanced Motorists launches Wheels in Winter road driving campaign
    October 14, 2014
    European skiers may be praying for snow but city dwellers and highway users likely want the white stuff at bay for as long as possible. To help drivers be ready for the inevitable snow, the UK’s Institute of Advanced Motorists (IAM) has launched its national winter campaign Wheels in Winter well ahead of 21 December, the official first day of winter. London’s winters can be milder than for many other major northern European cities, such as Paris, Warsaw and Berlin. But the UK capital’s rainy weather with t
    Read More
  • Albedo: reflections upon performance
    May 16, 2020
    Albedo can impact pavement performance by a factor of between 10-15%.
    Read More
  • Surface quality a key trend in asphalt paving
    March 7, 2012
    Improved surface quality and improved machine design are key trends in the asphalt paving sector, Mike Woof reports There is a big difference in asphalt paving techniques in North America and Europe. In North America, the need to construct long stretches of highway quickly resulted in wide pavers offering high throughput capacity, with compaction equipment then being used to achieve the required density of the various courses. In Europe's highway construction projects, distances tend to be shorter and contr
    Read More

Highlighted Content