Akademik Veri Yönetim Sistemi
7th International Conference on Traffic and Transport Psychology, Gothenburg, İsveç, 22 - 25 Ağustos 2022
The Prevalence and Possible Risk Factors of Road Rage
Alev Aktaş[*]ª,b, Serap Annette Akgürb
ªDepartment of Psychology, Sivas Cumhuriyet University, Sivas, Turkey
bInstitute on Drug Abuse, Toxicology and Pharmaceutical Science, Ege University, Izmir, Turkey
Background: Road rage incidents are on a rise in Turkey, but studies in the national literature are limited. The purpose of this study is to examine the prevalence and possible associated risk factors of road rage victimization and perpetration among road users (drivers, cyclists, pedestrians and passengers).
Method: This study is conducted among 633 road users that are living in Istanbul, Izmir and Ankara. After receiving ethical approval, participants were reached using snowball sampling method, and shared with them a survey link or paper pencil forms of the survey. Participants were requested to fill out the Questionnaire Form including socio-demographic information and various forms of road rage. The contribution of possible risk factors to road rage victimization and perpetration was examined with logistic regression analysis.
Results: The participants were between the ages of 19-76 (M=37.84 years, SD= 10.10). The majority were females (57.3%). More than half of road users (63.2%) had been victims of curses, shouts or rude gestures at least once in the past year, and 14.5% were threatened with damage to their vehicle or personal injury. 43.6% of the participants admitted to shouting, cursing or making rude gestures at someone, and 3.5% threatened to hurt someone or damage their vehicle. Logistic regression analyses revealed that being younger, male sex, being single, being a driver, weapons presence, and higher education degree levels (only for perpetration) were found to be statistically significant risk factors that contribute to road rage victimization and perpetration. Due to violent acts in traffic, 2.2% of the participants as a victim and 0.9% of them as a perpetrator reported that had forensic problem.
Conclusions: These results have led us to think that some demographic variables (age, sex, marital status, education level), driving a motor vehicle and carrying weapons in their vehicle or pocket may contribute to being a perpetrator or a victim of the road rage. Special attention should be addressed to the risk factors relation with road rage behaviors. It is important to design prevention and intervention programs that reduce the prevalence of road rage acts effectively.
Keywords: Prevalence; Road rage; Road users; Survey