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A road trip is supposed to be fun and the chance to discover new things. It is often marketed as an adventure. However, America’s roads hold many hidden dangers and an increasing trend for road “violence.” According to a survey prepared for AAA on average, “at least 1,500 men, women and children are injured or killed each year in the United States as a result of ‘aggressive driving.’” That particular study defined aggressive driving as:
“an incident in which an angry or impatient motorist or passenger intentionally injures or kills another motorist, passenger, or pedestrian or attempts to injure or kill another motorist, passenger or pedestrian, in response to a traffic dispute, altercation or grievance.”
Often an incident can occur from a minor dispute or disagreement and can escalate into a situation which, in some cases, has resulted in murder. Injuries can include:
- physical abuse
- verbal abuse (the damage of which is often underestimated)
- physical injuries.
“Road rage” is another form of “violence” out on America’s roads and can be sparked by seemingly innocent actions deemed threatening by another party. If someone drives/stands too close to you, invades “your space” or uses intimidating behavior, it can be seen as a form of aggression and rage, either on the road or in a parking lot. Although some problems are caused by alcohol and drugs, there appears to be a large number of emotionally unbalanced or disturbed people out on the roads too.
Women in particular are most affected by road violence. In another study preprared for AAA, 96 per cent people reported that road rage incidents have affected their confidence to drive. Women and motorists aged between 55 and 64 were most affected by road rage incidents.
Women are often easy targets for aggressors who use intimidation, both physically and verbally, to gain control of a situation. A situation can rapidly evolve and in today’s world you can never be sure who will pull out a gun, knife or other form of weapon. Although the chance of an incident occurring is relatively small in comparison to the number of people who drive America’s roads each day, you should be aware of the potential risks and dangers “hiding” out there. Be prepared, protect yourself and don’t put yourself in a situation where you can become a potential victim of “road violence.”
“Hidden” road violence can leave a lot of hidden emotional scars, in addition to physical injuries, and can take away both confidence and ability to drive and deal with the outside world.
For the full details of the Aggressive Driving Studies prepared for AAA click here.
Have a safe an uneventful trip 
