Conti campaign aimed at curbing road rage stress

After studying 2,000 drivers, Continental Tyres drew the conclusion that half of all motorists no longer enjoy driving – and a key reason for this lack of love is the threat of road rage. The study also revealed that around 15 per cent of those surveyed – a number representing five million motorists – have got out of their car to confront another driver.

Continental Tyres produced the report to support its ‘Courtesy Campaign’, which encourages motorists to employ more courteous driving methods. The study highlighted the need for awareness as it found one in three road users ‘expect’ to experience aggressive or intimidating driving whilst out in the car.

“The figures are shocking,” commented Continental’s Tim Bailey. “Of paramount importance is road safety, but if motorists feel intimidated or angry they will lack concentration, increasing the danger for other road users, never mind not enjoying the driving experience. We are launching a ‘Courtesy Campaign’ to help reduce the problem, not only to improve safety and the driving experience but also because showing consideration to others on the roads actually eases congestion and reduces delays.”

The study also found seven out of ten drivers believe they are more aggressive behind the wheel than at any other time. And when on the receiving end of road rage 40 per cent feel angry, 28 per cent feel shaken and nearly one in four (22 per cent) feel like retaliating.

Dr Mark Sullman, expert in driver behaviour at Cranfield University said: “When driving, we are prevented from using the normal cues to work out people’s intentions, such as facial expression and body language, so we are more likely to misunderstand their behaviour and interpret it in a negative way. For instance if you bump into someone on foot,  a quick smile or ‘oops’ is all that is needed to show it was accidental.  However, when in the car, with the absence of cues, people are much more likely to react in an aggressive manner than in other ‘public’ situations.”  

Dr Sullman advises: “You can choose not to let it rile you and instead deal with the situation in a positive way, such as concentrating on driving safely yourself or realising that everyone makes mistakes.” Tim Bailey added that “avoiding the stop-start of harsh braking and acceleration associated with aggressive driving saves energy and improves the flow of traffic, reducing journey times – which in turn should make motorists happier.”

Being on the receiving end of a blast of the horn from another driver is the most common form of aggression, followed by being ‘tailgated’ and having someone brake hard in front of you. The next most common forms of road rage triggers are being undertaken, being ‘flashed’ to get out of the way, and offensive hand gestures. And it seems we don’t need much encouragement to get riled – 41 per cent of people surveyed admitted they can be an angry driver and, as mentioned before, 15 per cent owned up to leaving their vehicle to confront another motorist.

Further information about Continental’s ‘Courtesy Campaign’, complete with tips on how to stay calm when behind the wheel, can be found at www.drivingmatters.org.uk.