Australian Drivers: Cruisin' for a Bruisin'Motoring Channel Staff - 24/August/2007 | 
This sign indicates a high 'road rage' area
Road Rage: Have you ever lost your
temper with other drivers? Does the new
survey reflect your most recent driving
experience? Write in to our Letters Page
and let us know your thoughts on the topic |
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).
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