Highway Code and aggressive violations in UK drivers. Paper presented at the Aggressive Driving Issues Conference, October 16th to November 30th, 2000.

This paper summarises some recent UK research on aggressive driving and presents findings from a new study. Studies using the Manchester Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ) have shown that aberrant driving behaviours factor into three types: violations (e.g., speeding, running red lights, showing hostility to other road users), errors (e.g., not noticing 'Stop' signs) and lapses (e.g., taking the wrong lane approaching a junction). A driver's violation score is a much better predictor of their level of crash-involvement than their error or lapse score. Recent UK studies using a modified DBQ have distinguished between highway code violations (e.g., speeding, undertaking, close following) and more interpersonally aggressive behaviours (e.g., indicating hostility, giving chase when angered). Application of Deffenbacher et al's Driving Anger Scale to UK car drivers found three factors – anger when progress is impeded as a result of slow or discourteous driving by others, anger at the reckless driving of others, and anger at receiving direct hostility from others. Significant positive correlation between aggressive violation score and all three anger factor scores showed that drivers who report committing higher levels of aggressive violations also report more anger at the bad behaviour of others. In a recently completed questionnaire study 746 English motorists completed the modified DBQ. The distinction between highway code and aggressive violations was replicated. Drivers scoring high on both kinds were more likely to be from higher social class groups and higher income households; to live in city, town or suburb; to drive larger-engined cars, higher mileages, company-owned cars and to drive as part of their work. When mileage differences were statistically controlled for, females reported fewer highway code violations, but no fewer aggressive violations; level of highway code violations fell linearly with increasing age, while the level of reported aggressive violations held constant to age 40 before declining. (Author/publisher)