You’re more likely to crash if you’re cross

DRIVING while angry or upset is five times more dangerous than using a mobile at the wheel, scientists claim.

A major study found drivers who are clearly angry, sad or agitated are ten times more likely to crash than those in a calm state of mind, while using a mobile only doubles the likelihood of an accident.

Researchers monitored more than 3,500 motorists with cameras, microphones and sensors, recording their every movement for up to two years. The cars travelled 35million miles and were involved in a total of 905 serious crashes, mostly caused by driver error or distraction.

The motorists were judged to be angry, sad, agitated or openly crying on one in 500 journeys and their mood took a clear toll on their driving. Researchers at Virginia Tech university in the US said: ‘The risk of driving while in such an elevated emotional state is 9.8 times higher.’

Although talking on a mobile was not so risky, dialling a number was a different matter, rais- ing the risk of a crash more than 12-fold, according to the study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Drunk-driving carried one of the biggest risks, while poor driving, including sudden braking and failing to give way, also greatly increased the odds of a crash.

AA president Edmund King said: ‘Our own research has shown that if a couple had an argument in the morning they were more likely to speed, tailgate and flash their lights aggressively. If you are in a bad mood, you are more likely to be distracted. The argument will be at the top of your mind, rather than the pedestrian stepping out in front of you 100 yards away.’ Virginia Tech’s Dr Tom Dingus said it was impossible to eliminate all distractions, but the findings could help make roads safer.

Driving while emotional was found to be more dangerous than driving while drowsy, fiddling with the radio or chatting to a passenger. However, talking to a child made journeys safer – perhaps because motorists adapted their driving with their young passenger in mind.

Despite being perceived as distractions, ‘dancing’ in the driving seat and putting on make-up behind the wheel did not raise the odds of having an accident.

Britain’s roads still claim some 1,800 lives a year, and injure a further 190,000 people.