Negative emotions and aggression in traffic

Negative emotions, like anger and frustration, that occur in daily traffic can give rise to aggressive behaviour. The occurrence of both emotions and aggression in traffic depends on personal and situational aspects. Determining objectively what aggressive behaviour is, proves to be quite difficult as much depends on individual interpretation. Behaviour, which is not actually intended to be aggressive, can still be experienced as aggressive by a fellow road user and, subsequently, give rise to an aggressive reaction. Negative emotions are related to aggression and risky driving behaviour: motorists who are angry while driving often drive more aggressively and are more often involved in near misses. Different measures in the areas of education, engineering and enforcement could tackle the problem of aggression for road safety. However, no research has been done into the effects of those measures.

• Record URL:
  • http://www.swov.nl/rapport/Factsheets/UK/FS_Emotions_and_traffic.pdf
• 
• Supplemental Notes:
  • Originally published in 2008
• Corporate Authors:

  Institute for Road Safety Research, SWOV

  Bezuidenhoutseweg 62
  The Hague,   Netherlands  2594 AW
• Publication Date: 2010-8

Language

• English

Media Info

• Pagination: 5p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aggression; Behavior; Drivers; Highway safety; Psychology; Risk taking
• Uncontrolled Terms: Road safety (engineering and vehicles)
• ATRI Terms: Aggressiveness; Driver behaviour; Psychology; Risk taking; Road safety
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01383739
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: ARRB
• Files: ATRI
• Created Date: Aug 22 2012 3:48PM