Have you ever noticed that people will be very aggressive when they’re in the car? Even the slightest perception of a slight – such as another driver who is going slower than they want or who may have cut them off – can push them toward road rage. They’ll honk the horn, make gestures out the window and yell at the other driver.
But this rarely happens in other settings. If someone accidentally stepped in front of you in the supermarket, you wouldn’t begin yelling at them angrily. What is it about being in the car that makes people more aggressive?
People are territorial
One potential reason is that people tend to be territorial. Some people will even put bumper stickers on their cars and take other steps to modify them or make them unique. In other words, they may be driving on public roads, but they still think of their car as their personal space, so anyone who impedes them encounters a more aggressive reaction.
It may not just be on the road
Some have also proposed that, despite being called road rage, it may not only happen on the road. Drivers who engage in this type of aggressive behavior may also lack impulse control and may be more aggressive in their daily lives, even outside of the car.
The car creates distance
Finally, there’s something to be said for the distance that the car seems to create. You’re not looking someone in the eye, but looking at their vehicle. This is similar to how people will act more aggressively on the Internet because of the distance that social media creates.
Regardless of the reason, if you get injured in an accident caused by an aggressive driver, be sure you know how to seek financial compensation.