Australia’s road rage hotspot states and drivers revealed
As we head into the silly season, stuck in shopping centre carparks mayhem for Christmas gift shopping, Boxing Day sales and the holiday road trip, now is the perfect time to be reminded to keep cool, calm and collected on the road.New research into Aussie driver behaviour behind the wheel has been released by Compare the Market, which shows that of those who had experienced road rage, over three quarters (77.9%) stated that they were a witness to it, 17.8% said that it had happened to them, while 4.3% admitted that they were the perpetrators.
When it comes to state versus state driver behaviour, Queensland was named the capital of road rage, almost a third of respondents from the Sunshine State (32%) said that they were involved in a road rage incident in the last 12 months. New South Wales wasn’t too far behind (27%), with Victoria rounding out the top three (26.4%). 24.5% of Western Australian drivers have either experienced or witnessed road rage while 22.2% of South Australian drivers had been affected.
The research also found differences with age groups with younger drivers more likely to experience or witness road rage, compared with their elder counterparts.
Generation | % of people who've experienced or witnessed road rage |
Gen Z | 36.5% |
Millennials | 35.5% |
Gen X | 24.7% |
Baby Boomers | 19.1% |
Compare the Market’s General Manager of General Insurance, Adrian Taylor, said how surprising it was to learn that so many Australians had been involved in acts of road rage.spoke about how distractions, like road rage, can easily turn into accidents.
“No one should have to endure being sworn at, tailgated or honked at aggressively,” Mr Taylor said. “These actions, regardless of whether people are the victim, perpetrator or just a witness, create unnecessary distractions, which could lead to accidents on our already busy roads.
“Not only is distracted driving the leading cause of accidents, but common road rage acts such as abuse, speeding, tailgating and even changing lanes erratically, can be considered punishable offences by the law. It’s best to think twice before letting your anger get the better of you on the road.”
Mr Taylor also said that while some behaviours of other motorists could be triggering, keeping a cool head can mean a safe arrival at your destination.
“If you see something that’s potentially dangerous, or if a crash has occurred due to road rage, you should make a note of the vehicle’s registration details if it’s safe to do so and involve the police as soon as possible,” Mr Taylor said.
“In these instances, the use of dashcams can be really helpful in recording any other details about the incident, such as the exact location and time it occurred. Also, in cases where you may have been involved in an incident, it can be a great supportive document to show that you were not at fault if you need to file a claim."
The do’s and don’ts of road rage:
- Do drive to the road rules in your state or territory
- Do drive to the speed limit
- Do let people merge and overtake
- Do give enough space between you and the car in front of you
- Do indicate correctly, with plenty of warning for other drivers
- Don't tailgate
- Don't flash your lights or honk unless absolutely necessary
- Don't speed
- Don't block intersections
- Don't react to road rage of others
- Don't police other drivers (leave this for the authorities)
Related: Tips for beating car park rage
Related: The moment I realised that I needed to combat my road rage
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Related: Eight simple car parking rules of etiquette we should all follow
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