Drivers in Oklahoma and across the United States are bubbling over with frustration and anger, indicates a 2016 study of road rage phenomena. Aggressive driving can pose a real threat to others on the road, and the study shows that it could be a growing trend.
The results of the study conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reveal that an estimated 8 million drivers engaged in serious dangerous driving behavior due to road rage within the previous 12 months. These types of incidents included deliberately ramming another car or getting out of the car for a confrontation with another driver. Even more, however, nearly eight out of 10 respondents they experienced significant aggression, anger or road rage while driving in the past year.
Over half of drivers admitted to purposefully tailgating another vehicle, while 24 percent of respondents deliberately blocked other cars from changing lanes. Another 12 percent of participating drivers said that they had deliberately cut off another vehicle in traffic. At the same time, most drivers clearly recognize that aggressive behavior behind the wheel is a problem, even if they participate in it themselves. Almost 90 percent of drivers see aggressive driving as a serious threat to personal safety, and two out of three drivers see aggressive driving as a more significant problem now than three years ago.
Aggressive roadway behaviors like tailgating, ramming and cutting off vehicles can cause major car accidents and severe injuries to occupants of other vehicles. People who have been harmed by these types of drivers may want to meet with an attorney and discuss how best to seek compensation for their medical expenses and other losses.