describes road rage

1. Presentation Title
Subtitle
Road Rage and Aggressive Driving
Dr Amanda Stephens

2. Jerome Carslake
Director of NRSPP
Monash University
Accident Research Centre
(MUARC)
P: 0429 009 998
E: Jerome.Carslake@monash.edu
Todays moderator

3. Webinar is = 40 mins
Question time = 20 mins
+ =
Housekeeping

4. Zoom Webinar Functions
Please type your
questions here

5. Dr Amanda Stephens
Research Fellow
Monash University
Accident Research Centre
E: amanda.stephens@monash.edu
Today’s presenter

6. • Why aggression matters
• What triggers our anger and aggression?
• What can we do about it?
– The “Travel time. Your time.” campaign
Webinar Overview
Today’s
Overview

7. What is aggressive driving?

8. Aggressive driving & road rage
Source: Sullman & Stephens (2020). Driving Anger and Aggression.
Encyclopedia of Transportation, Chapter 10670

9. Aggressive driving & road rage
Source: Sullman & Stephens (2020). Driving Anger and Aggression. Encyclopedia of
Transportation, Chapter 10670; Budget direct Road rage survey:
https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/car-insurance/research/road-rage-study.html
Jeopardise safety
Broader Impact on wellbeing
• “I remember when …”
• 43% change routes/times
• Anxiety or avoidance
• “Driving is how you start and
end your day”
• Aggression can ruin your day

10. Aggression-related Crash risk
Source: Dingus et al.,(2016). Driver crash risk factors and prevalence
evaluation using naturalistic data. PNAS, 113, 2636-2641
• Speeding/Aggressive driving
– 11 (9-14%), 4% of baseline
• Emotional driving
– 10 (5-19), .22% of baseline
• Distraction (overall)
– 2 (1.8-2.4), 52% of baseline
• Fatigue
– 3 (2.3-5.1), 2% of baseline
Source: camera pictures from
http://www.ands.unsw.edu.au/

11. Are you an aggressive driver?
18%
Budget direct Road rage survey: https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/car-
insurance/research/road-rage-study.html
Are you an aggressive driver?

16. Anger

17. a a a
a
Aggression

18. Animation from the: the Reducing Aggressive Driving Program:
A/Prof Newnam; Dr Stephens & Dr Young MUARC
funded by ACT Road Safety Trust 2019
Animation designed by Kristen Cooke;

19. • Anger experienced while driving is different to anger
experienced elsewhere
• 1994 driving anger happened by accident
• Goal blocked unjustly and there’s someone to blame
Anger: our inner driving demon
Source: Deffenbacher, J. L., Oetting, E. R., & Lynch, R. S. (1994). Development of a driving anger scale. Psychological
reports, 74(1), 83-91.Parkinson, B. (2001). Anger on and off the road. British journal of Psychology, 92(3), 507-526.
How? Why?
More related to blaming others Poor communication
Less intertwined with other emotions or
prior mood
Deidentification
Higher intensity Think quick : rely on stereotypes

20. Anger provoking situations
AN Stephens, A Lennon, C Bihler, S Trawley (2019); Transportation research part F: traffic psychology and behaviour 64, 472-
484; Newnam, Stephens & Young (2020). Developing the Reducing Aggressive Driving Program. MUARC report. Budget
direct survey: https://www.budgetdirect.com.au/car-insurance/research/road-rage-study.html
33%
18%
19%
Always
Australian drivers

21. • Venting anger, does not help reduce anger
• Focus attention elsewhere
• Travel time is your time: what will you use it for?
What can we do about it?
Source: Bushman, B.J. (2002). Does venting anger feed or extinguish the flame? Catharsis, rumination, anger and aggressive
responding. Personality and Social Spcyhology Bulletin, 28, 724-731.

22. Travel Time. Your Time. Campaign

23. Travel Time. Your Time. Campaign Most drivers aren’t
aggressive drivers
It may be a mistake
Don’t dwell
Don’t react
Does it matter?
Don’t let them ruin
your day
Driving is your time
Mindfulness

24. • What will our new normal look like?
• Will we be more or less aggressive?
• Travel time is your time
– what do you use it for?
Can we create a new normal?
Source: Stephens, A. N., Koppel, S., Young, K. L., Chambers, R., & Hassed, C. (2018). Associations between self-reported
mindfulness, driving anger and aggressive driving. Transportation research part F: traffic psychology and behaviour, 56, 149-155.

25. Questions?

26. For more information or to become a partner:
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Jerome.Carslake@monash.edu
Amanda.Stephens@monash.edu