Road rage study reveals bad driving can be caused by getting angry

Most drivers admit that road rage at bad driving actually makes their own driving worse, according to new statistics.

Driver error remains by far the most common cause of road accidents, according to Continental Tyres research.

The study found that more than three-quarters of 2,000 drivers polled tended to act more aggressively after being ’wound up’ by either other drivers’ bad habits or driving behaviour of which they did not approve.

Three-quarters of drivers see poor driving skills as a ’major safety concern’. People’s biggest hates are use of mobile phones, tailgating, and failing to signal. ’Dangerous’ overtaking is also listed as a chief problem, but the survey does not qualify criteria to define it.

As part of the same research, Continental found that one in ten drivers were willing to admit they used a phone illegally while driving, while 39% admitted to having broken the speed limit in the last month — a figure that could, in truth, be much higher.

Mark Griffiths, safety spokesman for Continental Tyres, said: “Driving is a complex task that requires attention and concentration — when we fail to do that, it creates problems for ourselves and other road users.

“That ranges from a heated exchange with other road users to something more serious — so it is vital we make safety our primary consideration for the duration of every journey.”

He said: “Adopting a double-standard and disapproving of the faults of others whilst ignoring our own failings is a clear concern.

“We and other automotive businesses have engineers delivering new technologies to improve road safety. Importantly, though, it cannot replace the need for motorists to be attentive so they enjoy their driving experience, and improve safety for themselves and those they share the roads with.”