Citation

Reinhardt-Rutland T. Police J. 1996; 69: 285.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1996, SAGE Publishing)

DOI

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PMID

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Abstract

The current crop of road rage incidents may, in part, reflect the increasing safety and comfort of modern cars. According to risk homeostasis theory, improved safety is counteracted by riskier behavior. Also, the comfort of modern cars me exaggerate impairments in perception, particularly of speed. So-called road rage has received considerable media coverage. But it is hardly a new phenomenon, as many cyclists will attest. Lamentable as they are, the altercations between motorists and cyclists entail relatively slow speeds in comparison with many of the recently publicized altercations between motorist and motorist. Interpretation of road rage in the media tends to be sociological in nature. For example, journalist point to the stress of the modern world: we carry out our business and ever faster rate, so delays are not permissible. This elicits a sense of competition in situations where it is inappropriate, as in driving: the individual driver pits his (typicallyy his!) wits against other drivers to get ahead of the pack. I think such explanations have some value, although I always feel worried that they imply of rose-tinted past - a gentle world where life was simpler and less aggressive. More often than not, it is difficult to substantiate such a view. There are other more substantial explanations of driving behavior which accord better with the evidence. Some of these include risk. Risk has major psychological components. One of these is Wilee's risk-homeostasis theory. This article will examine these risk issues as well as other contributors.