(Omaha) Exposure to aggressive driving fuels more aggression behind the wheel, according to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. In a survey of licensed drivers, 96% admitted to engaging in at least one aggressive driving behavior, including running red lights, speeding, tailgating, honking, or cutting off other vehicles, during the past year.
Brian Ortner, spokesperson for AAA in Nebraska and Iowa, says the study reveals a self-perpetuating cycle. He says 96% of drivers admit to driving aggressively in the past year. Their top motivators were to get to their destination faster and avoid perceived danger. 11% admitted to engaging in violent actions such as intentionally bumping into another car or confronting another driver. The more drivers are exposed to aggressive behavior on the road, the more likely they are to exhibit aggressive driving behavior themselves.
Ortner says research shows that even the calmest drivers can get drawn into road rage after a single hostile encounter…