Road rage at all-time high
DANIELLE McKAY
October 01, 2008 12:00am
TASMANIAN road rage is at an all-time high, the 2008 AAMI Crash Index has shown.
Nine out of 10 Hobart motorists responding to the internet and phone survey said drivers were becoming more aggressive.
More than a quarter of Hobart drivers surveyed admitted they had tailgated other motorists.
Of those, 44 per cent said "tailgating as retribution" was entirely justifiable.
"The rise in road rage is worrying in itself," said AAMI spokesperson Steve Wilson.
"However, also concerning is the increasing number of motorists who believe this sort of retaliation is entirely acceptable.
"Only 2 per cent of Hobart drivers say responding aggressively to road rage is appropriate.
"Yet 15 per cent admit they would actually respond that way."
The survey also revealed: three in four drivers had been tailgated; one in three had been followed; one in six had been forced off the road; one in 12 had had their car wilfully damaged; 86 per cent of drivers had been subjected to rude hand gestures; and 65 per cent had suffered verbal abuse.
http://www.news.com.au/mercury/story/0,22884,24429484-3462,00.html |