Contributing Factors To Aggressive Drivers
The items on the following list are from multiples sources that can
contribute to the incidence of aggressive driving compiled by NHTSA.
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Increased congestion on roadways;
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Running late, too many obligations;
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Anonymity provided by a closed vehicle;
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Disregard for others and the law;
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Chronic or pathological anger;
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Traffic jams caused by construction zones with little or no work going
on;
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Fewer mental health services available than in the past;
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Violent films and television programs;
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Increased levels of intrapersonal and interpersonal stress, including
stress associated with employment, two-career families, familial
relationships, child-care issues, elder-care issues, and fundamental
economic and technological changes in society;
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Loud, thumping music on the car radio while driving;
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The need to “save face” and overcome feelings of being disrespected
by another driver;
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The need to assert one’s identity and maintain control in a situation
where one fears losing control;
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A cultural focus on “time” as a limited resource, including concerns
about “saving time,” “using time wisely,” “being on time,”
and “time is money”;
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A human need for “space” that causes some drivers to be territorial
about infringements on their space;
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Popular culture’s focus on machismo and masculinity;
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Increased immigration trends leading to a mixture of different driving
styles;
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A widespread increase in interpersonal violence, including murder,
domestic abuse, and street crime;
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A focus on individualism that produces a “me first” mentality;
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Oppressive social conditions that produce feelings of alienation in
individuals;
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Slow drivers (especially in the “fast lane”);
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Defensive driving habits that produce an inflated concern about the poor
driving skills of others;
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A lower emotional intelligence and moral character than exhibited in
past societies;
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An innate human drive to aggression;
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Decreased drivers education in schools;
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Reduced levels of traffic enforcement;
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Ignorance about the “rules of the road”;
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Dehumanization of the other;
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An attempt to attain power in an otherwise powerless existence;
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Increased commuting distances and durations;
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Fewer people relying on mass transit and more relying on cars;
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An increased sense of invincibility behind the wheel of a 3,000-pound
vehicle;
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A cultural propensity to promote and reward competitive, tenacious, and
aggressive behavior; and,
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An individual propensity to perceive one’s vehicle as an extension of
oneself.
Information provided by National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration
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