SEEING RED

HOW TO MANAGE ROAD RAGE

HAVE you flipped the bird at another driver, screamed profanities at a slow car, tail-gated someone for sneaking into your lane or blasted the horn at a cyclist?

These acts might not seem overly aggressive or dangerous, but each one is a behaviour that could end in your death or the killing of another road user.

Recently, Australians have seen some appalling behaviour on our highways and streets, including the shocking incident where a NSW Central Coast male driver allegedly punched a female road user in July.

Three people were charged over the incident that was filmed on a dash cam but are yet to face trial.

And in May, another road user captured a man thumping a Brisbane ute driver in the face 20 times. Police are still looking for that attacker.

There have also been some high-profile court cases where alleged road attackers have been put on trial for deaths due to violence that began behind the wheel.

While these high-profile incidents give the perception road rage is on the increase, the issue has long been a problem across our country.

McRindle Research’s 2008 study, Australians on the Road, revealed drivers feared other roads users above everything else.

The study found what really made drivers’ blood boil were speeding, tail-gating, lane hopping, failing to indicate and failing to give a courtesy wave when other drivers do small favours.

Motoring groups, researchers, insurers and transport industry lobby groups say while violence on our roads is a massive problem, it’s frustratingly hard to track because there is no data providing a clear

link between crashes and road rage.

Australian Road Research Board’s Jerome Carslake said “competitive” young men with high frustration levels and low regard for others were a major concern on Australian roads.

“But road rage can happen to anyone,” said the National Road Safety Partnership Program manager. “If you drive emotionally you are nine times more likely to be involved in crash.”

The University of Sunshine Coast and RACQ last year joined forces to look at how driving impacts the physical and emotional health of road users.

“The research shows an adverse psychological and physiological effect for people who experienced bad driver behaviour,” RACQ spokeswoman Lauren Ritchie said.

An NRMA survey in 2015 found two-thirds of its members were victims of road rage while 80% witnessed other road users being attacked.

“The problem you have got with road rage is people react to the first emotion,” NRMA spokesman Peter Khoury said.

The Australian Trucking Association wants all learner drivers and riders to learn about the needs of heavy vehicles, including slower breaking times.