Some 70 per cent of drivers in Ireland have been on the receiving end of another motorist's road rage, according to the results of a new survey by the AA.
The study, which surveyed 8,205 drivers, revealed that the most common type of road rage usually experienced is aggressive driving, with over half of drivers saying that they had experienced dangerous overtaking, beeping or flashing lights, tailgating and "brake testing", an incredibly dangerous manoeuvre which involves cutting-in sharply in front of another vehicle and hitting the brakes.
Around a quarter of drivers have reported receiving verbal abuse from other drivers, but only one per cent reported experiencing physical violence outside the car. This is, perhaps, surprisingly low considering how frustrated drivers can get behind the wheel.
Nearly all of those surveyed (98 per cent) have felt annoyed at another driver's behaviour with 75 per cent saying that this is a regular occurrence. 40 per cent of motorists find driving to be a stressful experience at least "sometimes" while a third admit to being more impatient with other drivers when traffic is heavy.
Despite the high levels of frustration reported by drivers though, most manage to keep their tempers (relatively) in check. 96 per cent have never left their cars to confront another driver, despite 60 per cent saying that they regularly shout insults at other drivers from behind the wheel; this falls to 30 per cent when they think the other driver can actually hear them. 75 per cent have beeped at other motorists to let them know when they were in the wrong, though only three per cent say they do this often.
In terms of the stresses placed upon people by the pandemic, 35 per cent of drivers feel that road rage has gotten worse in the past two years; 40 per cent say it's just as bad as it was, with seven per cent feeling that it has improved.
Commenting on the results of the survey, AA Ireland's head of communications, Paddy Comyn, said:
"Road rage isn't just the stereotypical image of someone screaming at the steering wheel, or two drivers squaring up to each other on the roadside - this survey shows that road rage can take many forms and is something of a hidden problem."
What to do about road rage?
Road rage can be a lot more serious than it might first seem, and it can be traumatic being on the receiving end.
According to Comyn: "Aggressive behaviour on the road can lead to collisions and injuries, but even where it doesn't, it has long-term effects on the victims. Respondents told us they still remember the fear years after an incident, or that they avoided driving in certain situations again."
The best advice, says Comyn, is not to engage with someone experiencing road rage. "All the experts tell us that there's simply no point engaging with someone who's in full road rage mode. Don't respond to their behaviour and in serious cases, call the Gardaí, or drive to the nearest Garda station." "If you are the person who gets angry on the roads," he said, "you need to "reframe" driving in your head: make journeys enjoyable with music you like, leave time to get to your destination, and remind yourself that other drivers are not challengers."