Why is anger all the rage on the road?

Most of us have experienced some degree of road rage or, at the very least, the feeling of intense territoriality when we get into our cars.

Road rage usually manifests as violent verbal behaviour, and it's often underpinned by pre-existing stress. The stress we experience can range from personal issues to time pressures, among many others.

However, road rage can also take the form of tailgating, screaming profanities or excessive use of a vehicle's horn. Some drivers even go so far as to exit their car and approach another driver, before dishing out verbal and/or physical abuse. In many instances these drivers can be the most gentle of humans under normal circumstances…

According to Chief Statistician Fiona Dowsley of Victoria’s Crime Statistic Agency, of the 1075 offences recorded relating to a road-user confrontation, more than half were a crime against the person. And almost a quarter of road-user confrontations also involved property damage.

Seems there’s a lot of angry people out there.

What causes road rage?
From the comfort of your car it's all too easy to scream at another driver or pull out the middle finger. There's a sense of anonymity between you and the outside world; the idea that you're untouchable.

How do we control road rage?
Firstly, you need to understand that as soon as you start driving, you have a responsibility for yourself and for the lives of others. Be aware of the limitations of others drivers and give yourself time and space to react. Courtesy really goes a long way and encourages co-operative, road use. Apologising to the other driver when you make a mistake can defuse rage.

Use your horn sparingly – there's no need to honk it like it's a musical instrument. And don't tailgate; it's just not worth it. Think about when someone gets up close up behind you… Does it make you go any faster? Most likely, you'll deliberately drive slowly. This then creates a cycle of rage!

Listen to music that makes you happy or that calms you down. And even if it's a cliché, remember to breathe.

What if you're on the receiving end?
Try not to personalise the road rage, which is often easier said than done. An aggressive driver is unleashing his or her anger on the rest of the world and not at you.

We took to the carsales.com.au Facebook to ask why anger is all the rage and what can be done to curb road rage…

Andrew Curling
The standard of driving ability and road craft has diminished shockingly. Enormous, cumbersome SUVs play their part. Ineptitude and incompetence are more common. People struggle to do 50km/h in 60 zones.

One nong travelling westbound down the M4 past Eastern Creek (Sydney) two weeks ago couldn't drive in a straight line, freaking out when encouraged up to the posted 110 limit in the fast lane, hands see-sawing like a lunatic.

Justyn Lee Murnane
I don't think it's drivers with anger issues at all… I spend a lot of time driving from job to job, and the number of people I see doing stupid and pathetic things that a normal driver wouldn't do makes it so hard not to be angry or beep the horn. Things like using mobile phones, driving 20km/h under the speed limit on a straight and flat road, or not using the turning lane when turning into a street. To be honest, I think everyone should do a driving test every five years to make us all better and confident on the roads.

Ryan Campbell
I don't have a problem with road rage; other people just need to learn how to drive!

John Brescacin
Always keep the car locked when driving and never get out of the car if an altercation occurs.

Grant Hilder
Perhaps the pathetic road infrastructure has something to do with it.

Mark Daley
When many people get into their car, they are strapping into a suit of armour. All of a sudden they are powerful and agile. These are probably feelings they don't get walking down the street. Perhaps this is why they're willing to go to war over basically nothing. If someone moved around them and walked in front of them walking through a shopping centre, I'm sure they wouldn't start screaming and want to fight!