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AAA study reveals that reckless driving and road rage may just be the new normal

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BY KEVIN SAWYER – A recent research study released by AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has sadly discovered that risky and reckless driving, as well as incidents of road rage, have escalated in recent years to the point where it has likely become the new normal for driving in America.

The research found that over 8 million American drivers are so consumed by rage when they drive that they actually will leave their vehicle to confront another driver or the will ram another vehicle in traffic.

Jurek Grabowski, the director of AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety, said of the research that, “Inconsiderate driving, bad traffic, and the daily stresses of life can transform minor frustrations into dangerous road rage. Far too many drivers are losing themselves in the heat of the moment and lashing out in ways that could turn deadly.”

In AAA’s research study, 80% of the people they talked with said that they had participated in a road rage incident at least once in the last twelve months. The incidents included such things as yelling and giving someone the finger as well as tailgating, bumping another car and cutting someone off.

While men ages 19-39 are generally the most involved with risky driving behaviors and road rage, women have begun to seriously catch up to the men with regard to road rage. While the study has just been released, it was conducted back in 2014. AAA had an online survey that was responded to 2,705 American drivers who had driven their vehicle at least once in the previous month.

Well over 90% of the respondents called reckless and extremely aggressive driving a serious threat to their personal physical safety. Nearly all of the respondents stated that road rage has simply skyrocketed and has become a serious problem and hazard now more than ever before.

Over half of the respondents stated that they have, or have been, tailgated and have aggressively leaned on the horn to express their anger. About 35% said that they used negative gestures at other drivers to express their displeasure. The most aggressive section of the country was the Northeast where well over 30% said they had participated in a road rage incident. The rest of the regions of the country were all about the same in incidents.

Also, there has been a noticable uptick in speeding as well as running stop signs and red lights.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay