Are you prone to road rage?

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With more than 70% of drivers becoming angry behind the wheel, we reveal the full extent of road rage in the UK.

If you’re a driver, the temptation to lose your cool with other motorists can be near impossible to resist at times.

In fact, some of us can’t make it through a journey without letting the F-word slip and wondering how the fool in the next lane ever managed to pass his test.

If you feel irate on the roads, you’re not alone. Some 72% of drivers confessed to getting angry in a new study for insurance group Admiral – with 13% admitting to following another driver and 9% having attacked another motorist.

Admiral managing director Sue Longthorn said: ‘Vehicles can bring out the darker sides of our personalities.

‘It's bad enough letting yourself be annoyed by other road users, but following them or even worse, attacking them is crazy. You have to ask yourself is it worth getting that upset at other road users?’

In less extreme examples of road rage, more than three quarters of drivers shout at other motorists and over half make obscene gestures.

How to deal with road rage

If you need to stop your car following an incident, drive to a spot where there are other people around. Being in a public place could reduce the risk of a violent encounter.

While it’s tempting to retaliate if another driver makes an obscene gesture or shouts at you, doing so will probably just exacerbate the situation.

Furthermore, it could be wise to keep a mobile phone in your car so you can call the police in the event of a serious dispute on the roads.

More bad driving habits revealed

Earlier this year, Sainsbury’s Car Insurance Behaviour Index revealed a catalogue of driving indiscretions.

According to the data, eating and drinking behind the wheel is the number one faux pas, with 27% admitting to doing this on the roads.

Next up, 19% confessed to excessive speeding and 18% have gotten behind the wheel while tired. As a more bizarre example, 6% have driven with a pet loose in the car.

In contrast to the Admiral data, however, just 2% of those surveyed admitted to road rage.

However worrying these statistics may appear, the Sainsbury’s data actually shows a considerable improvement in driving behavior compared with 2010.

**This material is for information purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. We strongly encourage our readers not to rely solely on this content, but to seek independent advice when making financial decisions.**

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