A new study from the GF Foundation reveals the extent of aggressive behavior on the roads. More than 50 percent of Danish drivers have experienced road rage in recent months.
A new study shows a worrying picture of Danish roads. More than half of all drivers have experienced aggressive behavior from other road users within the past three months.
This is the result of an analysis conducted by Human Engage for the GF Foundation. The extent of road rage worries Martin Rundager, Director of Claims Assistance at GF Forsikring.
Many of the drivers surveyed regularly experience road rage, especially in situations involving reckless overtaking.
Traffic that is too close to the car in front also causes great irritation. The same applies to drivers who are too slow to pull over to the right on the highway.
These situations can create dangerous conditions for everyone on the road. Martin Rundager points out that anger and irritation take the focus away from the intersection itself.
He believes that many accidents could be avoided if drivers remained calm.
– It is my clear feeling that many injuries and accidents could be avoided if people just took a breath and counted to ten before their heart rate went too high, says Martin Rundager.
Irritation causes dangerous situations in traffic
Although over half have experienced aggression, fewer admit to expressing anger. Seven out of ten drivers in the study said they had not shown anger in traffic in the past three months.
At the same time, the study shows that approximately half of the drivers would speak up. They would say so if they were in a car with an aggressive driver.
Helle Nielsen, Head of Distribution for the GF Foundation, sees this as part of the solution. She works with traffic behavior and emphasizes the importance of dialogue.
– Apparently, many people don't even think they get angry in traffic. That's why I think we need to get better at talking to each other about the problem, explains Helle Nielsen.
She draws a parallel to past campaigns against drink-driving. We need to achieve a culture where it is unacceptable to show violent anger in traffic, she believes.
Young drivers' self-awareness can show the way
The study also points to an interesting difference between generations. Younger drivers are more likely to point to their own state of mind as the cause of their anger. They cite busyness or personal feelings.
Older drivers, on the other hand, more often believe that their anger is caused by the behavior of others. They see their anger as a reaction to the mistakes of other road users.
Martin Rundager sees the young people's self-awareness as a potential role model.
– I think the young people's self-awareness can be a role model for many of the rest of us, he says.
He urges all drivers to look more inward. We must avoid taking traffic mistakes personally.
Instead, we should show more respect for each other. Martin Rundager believes that this can reduce the level of road rage and ultimately reduce the number of injuries.
Road safety is an important topic that we also cover here at Boosted. You can find more articles about the latest technology in the latest cars. Technology that may not be as safe as it seems. Read more about it here .
