Road rage and aggressive driving behaviors: The role of state-trait anxiety and coping strategies

Road rage is a social phenomenon that involves risks for drivers and has an impact on road safty. Aggressive driving is one of the major causes of road accidents hence, it is important to investigate the factors that may promote both, identifying and avoiding aggressive driving and road rage behaviors. This study presents empirical evidence for conceptualizing road rage by exploring the relation between aggressive driving behaviors and drivers’ anxiety while driving. Responses from drivers who were observed driving their cars indicated an association between state-trait anxiety and aggressive driving style. Hostile aggressive behaviours were related to higher levels of state-trait anxiety and problem-focused coping style was more common among drivers with instrumental aggression than those with hostile aggression. These findings contribute to our understanding of the interplay between drivers’ coping styles and road rage, highlighting problem-focused coping as a strategy that can reduce hostile aggressive driving. Hence, this research has implications for promoting road safety and the prevention of traffic accidents.