While statistics vary, most agree that road rage incidents have increased rapidly over the last decade. Road rage involves highly aggressive activities from a driver. This could include things like aggressive tailgating, honking, flashing the headlights, screaming and shouting, crashing into another vehicle purposely and even serious physical assaults.
What causes someone to act like this? The truth is, as with all human behavior, it’s complicated. Several psychological factors contribute to road rage incidents. Here are some important points to consider.
Stress and negative emotions
What’s going on in a person’s life can greatly impact their ability to drive. If someone has had a bad day, then their threshold for further stress may be reduced. Even though driving can feel easy sometimes, the truth is that it is a highly stressful activity conducted at speeds that humans were not meant to travel at.
“Road ragers” are often individuals who have just argued with a friend or family member, have had a bad day at work or are facing some other type of stressful situation.
The power of anonymity
For some people, driving gives them a sense of power. This is especially the case if they are in a larger vehicle or a vehicle that has tinted windows. In their vehicle, they have anonymity- or at least they believe they do. Feeling anonymous can cause people to take risks that they otherwise would not have. It can also cause them to act aggressively, despite this being typically uncharacteristic.
Road rage incidents can cause serious injuries. Understanding the psychology of such incidents may help with prevention. If you have been injured in a crash, legal guidance will give you an idea of whether or not financial compensation is obtainable.
