Bushman, Cooper, & Lemke (1991) defined aggression as an overt behavior intended to harm another person. Driving anger can be defined as the propensity to become angry while driving, an individual characteristic unique to every driver (Deffenbacher et al, 2003).
Road crashes are an increasing problem throughout the world, which have immense sectoral and economic impact besides irreplaceable loss of life. Every year an estimated 1.2 million people are killed and up to 50 million are injured or disabled on the roads (Bliss, 2004). According to (UNICEF, 2008) 3,500 people also added to this huge fatality figure every. The International federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies have stated the situation as a worsening world level disaster destroying lives and livelihoods, hampering development and leaving millions in greater vulnerability (Jacobs et al. 2000; Ameratunga et al. 2006). In 1990, road accidents are ninth out of a total of over 100 separately reported causes as a cause of death or disability. However, forecasts suggest that by the year 2020 as a cause of death, road crashes will move up to sixth place (Jacobs et al., 2000).
Psychologists are studying what makes some people more prone to road rage and how to keep them from becoming a danger on the road. Findings of (Sansone et al 2010) suggest that young men are more likely to perpetrate road rage. It was found that personal / individual factors are more commonly reported in relation to the causes of road rage than environmental indicators (Ronald burns, Michael Katovich, 2003).
Understanding what fuels this dangerous behavior may help psychologists to curb it. In studies of anger and aggressive driving, counseling psychologist (Jerry Deffenbacher et al, 2003) indicated people who identified themselves as high-anger drivers differ from low-anger drivers, high anger drivers engage in hostile and aggressive thinking and they get angry faster and behave more aggressively. They’re more likely to swear or name-calling, to yell at other drivers and to honk in anger. They are more likely to be angry not just behind the wheel, but throughout the day (Szlemko et al, 2008). Territorial markings as a predictor of driver aggression and road rage. Journal of Applied Social Psychology, 38, 1664–1688).
American automobile association found that aggressive driving occurred during 56 percent of the fatal traffic accidents from 2003 through 2007, with speeding as the primary factor ( American automobile association 2009). Study conducted in Pakistan indicated aggressive anger expressions while driving was a major predictor of RTAs in the present study and adaptive ways to express driving anger increased with driving exposure and age ( Rayna Sadia et al, 2018). Another study showed no correlation between anger and driving anger whereas weak positive correlation between the modes of anger indicates the aspects of anger are present in every individual ( Awaisha Inayat, Rabia Raiz, 2014).
