Australian Drivers: Cruisin' for a Bruisin'

Motoring Channel Staff - 24/August/2007

Brisbane, Australia — According to insurance company AAMI, Australian drivers are becoming more selfish, aggressive, and dangerous. One quarter of Australian drivers have been identified as "reckless and aggressive".

Furthermore, some 85% of respondents admitted to speeding while almost one in 10 drivers admitted to speeding "most of the time," which suggests current laws and campaigns are ineffectual and have done little to change driving habits.

The statistics suggest that "Australian drivers are becoming selfish and rude on the roads, as evidenced by their behaviour across a variety of indicators," reads the AAMI document. 

AAMI insurance's annual Crash Index was released yesterday and the new statistics represent alarming trends amongst Australian drivers, claiming that one in five Victorian drivers became so incensed with other drivers perceived disrespect that they tailgated other cars. Furthermore, 60% of these upset 'tailgaters' believe this is a justified response.

"When it comes to generosity, courtesy and basic manners, the research shows Australian drivers are clearly lacking," the AAMI document says.

More than two thirds of Australian drivers, or 67%, have had their car space nabbed while they were obviously waiting for it, and more than half of drivers, or 57%, have "gestured rudely or yelled at another driver when they have done something they thought was dangerous or rude".

The levels of road rage in Australia don't appear to be decreasing, and could be a result of a change in lifestyle for many people. With less spare time and leisure time on their hands, drivers are increasingly impatient to get where they're going and as a result tempers will often flare.

The national survey questioned 2380 registered drivers in Australia to get an overall idea of drivers behaviour while behind the wheel.

Geoff Hughes, AAMI's general manager, told Fairfax papers that these new statistics suggested that Australian drivers exist in a bubble while driving and put their own needs first.Mr Hughes said, "Anti-social behaviours like speeding, drink-driving and justifying aggression towards other drivers are reflective of a belief among drivers that my needs are more important than yours.

"People are locked in their own little worlds and servicing their own needs. They have lost a sense of social responsibility, putting other road users at risk purely out of their own selfishness," stated Mr Hughes.

According to the study, more than one third (37%) of Australian drivers admitted to having driven "when they were probably over the legal limit". Of all Australian states and territories, the Northern Territory rated the worst for drink driving, with 54% of respondents admitting to driving drunk behind the wheel, followed by Tasmania with 46%.

AAMI is owned by Suncorp, a corporation which also owns Just Car Insurance, Shannons, GIO, and Australian Pensioners Insurance Agency (APIA).