Car News

Young Australian male drivers are the angriest behind the wheel

Young male drivers (22-39) are the most aggressive on Australian roads, admitting to chasing another driver while angry at least once, according to a new study.

A STUDY INTO Aggressive Driving on Australian Roads by Monash University Accident Research Centre has revealed that young Australian men are the most aggressive on our roads. According to the report, which will be presented in full at the Australian Road Safety Conference in Perth in October says 36% of young male drivers have chased another driver when angry at least once.

While ‘road rage’ or aggressive driving behaviour is often called a modern phenomenon, the study by MUARC referenced an earlier study from 2004 (AAMI Crash Index: Tenth annual road safety report) which revealed a staggering 93% of Australians reported having been subjected to aggressive driving while 43% had “perpetuated aggressive driving in retaliation to the behaviour of others”.

This latest study conducted by MUARC surveyed 2916 drivers with 45% of them being males, the average age was 42. The study found that 60% of respondents had used their car horn to express annoyance at another driver, while 70% sounded their car horn in anger at another driver. More worrying was the fact that 18% of drivers admitted to chasing another driver in anger.

But what is most concerning is the fact that 96% of drivers involved in a collision reported aggressive behaviour; aggressive drivers also reported they were more likely to use their mobile phone while driving (18.3%), have consumed alcohol before driving (8.6%) or be speeding (60.4%).

The reports authors (Amanda N. Stephens and Michael Fitzharris) concluded that aggressive driving in Australia is “prevalent and forms part of a broader pattern of dangerous driving behaviour”.

Question: Have you been a victim of road rage? Or, have you perpetrated road rage against another driver?


Subscribe
Notify of
guest
3 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Rodw
Rodw
6 years ago

You know what you can’t even get the photo correct.This is a left hand drive vehicle not a bloody australian car and driver photo .For crying out load get you photos straight at least. Idiots.

PracticalMotoring
6 years ago
Reply to  Rodw

The image was merely there to represent the story… it wasn’t the actual story. But, so as you’re happy, it’s been changed. – Isaac

Ridge
Ridge
6 years ago

I would not have bothered Isaak. Rodw comment a classic representation of Commentary Rage. I would have deleted the rude little person.

Isaac Bober

Isaac Bober