A City-Level Study of Aggressive Road Behaviours: Magnitude,and Predictors and Implications for Traffic Safety

Abstract

Road rage and aggressive driving behaviours are reported to be huge public problems. There is a paucity of scientific South African data on driver aggression. Accordingly, a cross-sectional descriptive study was undertaken to determine the nature, extent and profile of aggressive and other hazardous road behaviours. The different categories of aggressive road behaviours were located on a continuum comprising four levels. Together with other hazardous driving behaviours, they were measured using a modified semantic differential on a scale of 1 to 10. Additionally, multiple linear regression modelling was used to identify various predictor variables for the different levels of aggressive road behaviour. The high prevalence data as well as many of the predictors of aggressive road behaviours that were found in the study are consistent with international findings. The utility of the data is discussed as part of a recommended ecological and health promotion approach for the prevention of aggressive road behaviours.

Keywords

aggression aggressive road behaviour health promotion road rage safety behaviours traffic psychology

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