Anger and aggression appear to be inevitable features of contemporary driving. A large scale diary study of everyday driving events found frequent reports of anger while driving and suggested that there might be a relationship between incidents of anger while driving and near accidents experienced by the same drivers. Although the original study focused on the experience of anger while driving, additional analyses presented here explore the occasions where anger lead to drivers engaging in overtly aggressive acts. The incidence of aggression amongst these drivers was much higher than anticipated and appeared to be linked to many of the same variables as anger. A key question is whether driver anger and aggression are specific to the driving situation or are equally common in non-driving situations. A questionnaire study explored this issue by using questions about a series of matched driving and non-driving contexts. This study suggested that the experience of anger may not be particularly unique to driving contexts. Approximately equal levels of anger were reported by respondents in a variety of other everyday situations. In contrast the key difference between driving and non-driving contexts appeared to be the likelihood of displaying aggression. A series of interviews conducted in a supermarket car park confirmed this relationship. Participants were approximately equally likely to experience anger while shopping and while driving to the supermarket. In contrast, respondents reported displaying more aggression while driving than while shopping. For the covering abstract see ITRD E113725 (C 22328 CD-ROM).
Abstract