Search

Introduction: Trait driving anger is a widely studied personality variable in the field of road safety, due to its strong relationship with both risky behavior on the road and crash-related events. The Deffenbacher's Driving Anger Scale theoretical approach has underlined different situations that could provoke anger in drivers, although trait driving anger is usually analyzed as a whole. Trait general anger has been proposed as one of the most relevant predictors of trait driving anger, showing moderate relationships with it., Method: The current research aimed to analyze the relationship between trait general anger and each one of the situations provoking anger, as well as to search for personality variables that could moderate these relationships. Based on literature review, it was expected that self-esteem would moderate both Discourtesy and Hostile gestures, Type-A behavior pattern would moderate both Slow driving and Traffic obstructions, and conscientiousness would moderate both Police presence and Illegal driving. A sample of 417 drivers (M age = 31.24, SD age = 13.59, 64.5% females) taken from the Spanish general population completed a set of self-reports., Results: The results showed significant moderation effects in the case of Hostile gestures, Discourtesy, Illegal driving, and Slow driving. Conditional processes of these moderations were analyzed. Lastly, practical implications are discussed, allowing for tailored interventions to be implemented based on individual drivers' tendencies. Therefore, interventions should address different triggers of driving anger: boosting self-esteem for those angered by disrespect, targeting Type-A behavior reduction for those angered by traffic slowdowns, and promoting conscientiousness enhancement for those angered by others' risky driving., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Mindfulness is a state of being fully attentive to the current moment and is an experiential way of living in daily life. As a personal trait, mindfulness has been proven to enhance various negative emotions and behaviors. However, in the field of driving, there is still a lack of research on the mechanisms of mindfulness on anger expression behavior, specifically aggressive driving. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to reveal the impact of mindfulness on drivers' aggressive driving behaviors and the mediating effect of driving anger and anger rumination. A total of 350 (208 males and 142 females) participants in China voluntarily completed a series of questionnaires, including the Mindful Attention and Awareness Scale (MAAS), the Driving Anger Scale (DAS), the Anger Rumination Scale (ARS) and the Driving Anger Expression Inventory (DAX). The hierarchical multiple regression analysis and pathway analysis results showed that mindfulness negatively predicted driving anger, anger rumination and driving anger expression. Moreover, driving anger and anger rumination mediated the relationship between mindfulness and driving anger expression, accounting for 9.51% and 18.74% of the total effect, respectively. The chain-mediated effect of driving anger and anger rumination accounted for 8.00% of the total effect. This study has revealed some of the internal mechanisms through which mindfulness reduces aggressive driving. It fills a part of the gap in understanding the protective role of mindfulness in the driving domain. Furthermore, it suggests mindfulness interventions for drivers, which may have the potential to enhance overall road safety., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Background: Road rage is a common phenomenon during driving, which not only affects the psychological health of drivers but also may increase the risk of traffic accidents. This article explores the impact of moral disengagement and anger rumination on road rage through two studies., Method: This research combined experimental studies with survey questionnaires. Study one used a driving simulator to investigate whether moral disengagement and anger rumination are psychological triggers of road rage in real-time driving, and whether there are differences in the main psychological triggers of road rage under different road scenarios. Building on the first study, study two employed a survey questionnaire to analyze the relationship between moral disengagement, anger rumination, and road rage. Participants in both studies were drivers with certain driving ages and experience. Data were processed and analyzed using descriptive statistics, factor analysis, reliability and validity tests, and multiple regression analysis., Results: The findings indicated: (1) There were significant differences in the anger induction rate across different road scenarios, χ2 = 35.73, p < 0.01, effect size = 0.29. Significant differences in average anger levels were observed in scenarios involving oncoming vehicles, lane-cutting, sudden stops by the vehicle ahead, pedestrians crossing the road, and traffic congestion (F = 20.41, p < 0.01, ηp2 = 0.36), with anger rumination playing a major role in the formation of road rage; (2) Moral disengagement significantly predicted road rage (β = 0.25, t = 3.85, p < 0.01). The predictive effect of moral disengagement on anger rumination was significant (β = 0.39, t = 6.17, p < 0.01), as was the predictive effect of anger rumination on road rage (β = 0.43, t = 6.3, p < 0.01). The direct effect of moral disengagement on road rage included 0 in the bootstrap 95% confidence interval, while the mediating effect of anger rumination did not include 0 in the bootstrap 95% confidence interval, indicating that anger rumination fully mediated the relationship between moral disengagement and road rage., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 The Authors.)

High levels of trait driving anger have been linked to aberrant driving behavior and higher proneness to be involved in a car crash. In the present study, we assessed the psychometric properties of the Italian adaptation of the Driving Anger Scale (DAS) in a large (>2000; 72% males) sample of Italian drivers examining measurement invariance across gender and age. Also, we examined whether the association between trait driving anger and aberrant driving behavior is mediated by a maladaptive form of cognitive emotion regulation, namely blaming others. The results showed that the six-factor structure of the DAS was overall confirmed with a few variations compared to the original scale. Weak measurement invariance was supported across gender and age, while strong and strict invariance were partially confirmed. Finally, the tendency to cope with negative events by blaming others mediated the association between driving anger and aberrant driving behavior in the male but not in the female sample. For both men and women, however, blaming others was positively associated with violations. Thus, attributions of blame to others could be targeted by clinical interventions for high-anger drivers and driver education courses in the attempt to reduce aberrant driving behavior and improve road safety., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Drivers who exhibit dangerous driving behaviours, such as aggressive, risky, and negative emotion cognition driving, are more likely to be involved in road crashes. A key motivator behind unsafe driving behaviours is driving anger. However, it is unclear whether lifestyle, driving anger, and dangerous driving behaviours are related. A total of 344 Chinese drivers with a formal driving license were asked to complete the socio-demographic information, the Chinese lifestyle questionnaire (Self-designed), the 14 items Driving Anger Scale (DAS), and the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI). The Chinese driver's lifestyles were analysed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), revealing a four-factor structure ("Culture", "Workaholism", "Sports" and "Amusement"). The 14 items DAS factor structure was determined using a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), yielding a two-factor structure ("Safety Concern anger" and "Arrival Concern anger"). Based on Hierarchical Multiple Regression (HMR), only "Workaholism" was associated with aggressive, risky, and negative emotion cognition driving. The trait driving anger was examined as a mediator between the "Workaholism" and dangerous driving (aggressive, risky, and negative emotion cognition driving) through a Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) approach. "Workaholism" was shown to influence these dangerous driving behaviours through trait driving anger. Lastly, this article discussed the theoretical and practical implications and research limitations., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Objective: Taxis have become an integrated component of Qatar's urban transportation network due to their convenience, comfort, and flexibility. Qatar has seen an uptick in the demand for professional taxi drivers. Most Qatari taxi drivers come from developing countries with poor awareness of road safety; therefore, they regularly engage in aberrant driving behavior, leading to traffic violations and crashes. For taxi rides to be safer, it is essential to determine the association between driving aberration and road traffic crashes (RTCs), with an emphasis on the underlying factors that trigger these behaviors., Methods: To this end, we collected the data from taxi drivers relying on standard questionnaires, namely the Driving Anger Scale (DAS) and the Driver Behavior Questionnaire (DBQ), together with the real crash data of the same taxi drivers obtained from the police department. We relied on factor analysis to identify the main factors of these tools and then structural equation modeling to predict their causal relationship with RTCs., Results: The results indicated that the component of DAS, namely "illegal driving", triggered all dimensions of aberrant driving behaviors, whereas hostile gestures had a positive correlation with lapses. In addition, the factor "error" was identified as a significant direct predictor, while the factor "illegal driving" was identified as a significant indirect predictor for RTCs. Regarding demographic characteristics, professional driving experience was found to be negatively associated with RTCs., Conclusion: Driving aberration mediated the impact of driving anger on RTCs. The findings from this study could help road safety practitioners and researchers better understand these relations. In addition, these results could also be very helpful for driving instructors to train taxi drivers in a way to cope with provoking situations.

Public transport systems have a vital role in achieving sustainable mobility goals, diminishing reliance on private individual transport and improving overall public health. Despite that, transport operators are often in situations that require them to cope with complex working conditions that lead to negative emotions such as anger. The current study represents a segment of the permanent global research agenda that seeks to devise and test a psychometric scale for measuring driving anger in professional drivers. The present research is one of the first attempts to examine the factorial validity and the cross-cultural measurement equivalence of the broadly utilized Driving Anger Scale (DAS) in three culturally different countries within the Western Balkans region. The respondents (N = 1054) were taxi, bus and truck drivers between 19 and 75 years of age. The results pertaining to confirmatory factor analysis showed that there were adequate fit statistics for the specified six-dimensional measurement model of the DAS. The measurement invariance testing showed that the meaning and psychometric performance of driving anger and its facets are equivalent across countries and types of professional drivers. Furthermore, the results showed that driving anger facets had positive correlations with dysfunctional ways of expressing anger and negative correlations with the form of the prosocial anger expression. In addition, the results revealed that taxi drivers displayed considerably higher levels of anger while driving and aggressive driving than truck and bus drivers. Overall, this study replicates and extends the accumulated knowledge of previous investigations, suggesting that the original DAS remains a reliable and stable instrument for measuring driving anger in day-to-day driving conditions.

Objective: This study validates the Vietnamese versions of the Driving Anger Scale and Driving Anger Expression Inventory, two prominent instruments for determining driving anger proneness and expression. Using these scales, the authors investigate the relationships between driving anger and motorcyclists' on-road risks in Vietnam., Methods: Factor analyses are conducted to explore the dimensional constructs of the two scales with a dataset of 960 Vietnamese motorcyclists. The t-tests were applied to assess the differences in driving anger levels between motorcyclists' subgroups. Negative binomial regression is used to predict the probability of motorcyclists' traffic incidents based on driving anger factors and individual differences., Results: The Vietnamese Driving Anger Scale has three factors, including Hostile gestures (α=.78), Unpleasant conditions (α=.80), and Traffic violations (α=.74). Hostile gestures elicit the most driving anger among Vietnamese motorcyclists. Besides, females report higher propensities for driving anger than males over three anger-provoking factors. The Driving Anger Expression Inventory has a two-factor structure, including Aggressive expressions (α=.83) and Adaptive expressions (α=.74). Vietnamese motorcyclists are more prone to have adaptive expressions than aggressive expressions when angry on-road. The regression results reveal the significant effects of gender and two factors of the Driving Anger Expression Inventory on the probability of traffic incidences. Females have considerably fewer traffic accidents and offenses than males. Besides, the number of minor crashes and violations grows by 1.54 and 1.93 times with each unit rise of the Aggressive expressions factor. Increasing adaptive expression level is associated with a decrease in the numbers of major crashes and offenses (40% and 19% less, respectively)., Conclusions: This study provides insights into driving anger in Vietnam, a motorcycle-dominant country. The findings corroborate the Vietnamese versions of the Driving Anger Scale and Driving Anger Expression Inventory, which contributes to understanding the formation and expression of driving anger and its roles in predicting driving outcomes. Furthermore, the higher on-road risks of males and motorcyclists with more aggressive expressions are highlighted. Generally, enhancing the risk perception about driving anger and promoting the advantages of on-road adaptive expressions may significantly reduce traffic issues in Vietnam.

Driving anger and roadway aggression have previously been conceptualized using attributional theory, the theory of planned behavior, and the general aggression model (GAM) framework. The current study builds on these findings, testing the applicability of the attribution-of-blame model of perceptions of injustice and expanding existing models of retaliatory driving aggression to include unjust world beliefs and sensitivity to injustice. A sample of 269 participants from a large urban Canadian university viewed five animated driving scenarios (i.e., a queuing violation, a dangerous turn in front of oncoming traffic, selfish parking behavior, misuse of a high occupancy vehicle lane, and a driver failing to stop at a red light). Prior to viewing each scenario, a brief written description of the scenario was provided to each participant and read aloud by the experimenter. After viewing each scenario, participants completed a questionnaire regarding their attributions, emotions, and anticipated behavior in response to the animated scenario. After viewing all animated videos, participants completed a second questionnaire that assessed individual differences and demographic variables. Consistent with the GAM, structural equation and mediation analyses identified a significant path from individual differences (i.e., belief in an unjust world and driving injustice sensitivity), through internal states (i.e., perceptions of injustice and anger), to retaliatory aggressive driving. Results of this study found consistent paths between factors which were significant across all five scenarios and may therefore be generalizable to other driving situations. Other pathways were found to influence only a selection of the five scenarios, suggesting that they may be situation specific. Results provide support for possible intervention strategies that can be employed by driver education programs to reduce aggressive driving., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Driver anger and its expression are among the most studied topics in traffic safety literature. However, the function of gender roles, i.e., masculinity and femininity, in driving anger experience and expression has remained mainly unexplored. The present study investigates the association between driving anger and gender roles on the expression of anger among young drivers. Three hundred seventy-nine young drivers filled a questionnaire including the Driving Anger Scale, Bem Sex Roles Inventory, Driving Anger Expression Inventory, and demographic information. Moderated regression analyses showed that masculine gender role and anger provoked by other road users' discourtesy were positively and femininity negatively related to verbal aggression while driving. Anger related to police presence, slow driving, and masculine gender role were positively related to gesture-based and vehicle-based expression of driver aggression. Hostility and feminine gender role were negatively related to the gesture-based expression of driver aggression, while anger related to witnessing illegal driving and feminine gender role were negatively related to the vehicle-based expression of aggression. The interaction effects between masculinity and hostility, masculinity and slow driving, and femininity and illegal driving were also found on the gesture-based expression of driver aggression. The effects of interaction between masculinity and slow driving and femininity and illegal driving were also found on the vehicle-based expression of driver aggression. Slow driving and femininity had a positive relationship to the adaptive expression of anger in driving. The results suggest that masculinity and femininity moderate the relationship between driving anger and the expression of driving anger among young drivers., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.)

Road anger is an increasing problem that does not only lead to discomfort but is also associated with aggressive driving and an increased risk of crash involvement. Based on a cognitive-behavioural approach, we developed and tested a short group intervention (90 min) that aimed at decreasing road anger among drivers. We used a before-after control group design, surveying people who did (EG) and who did not (CG) participate in the group intervention. The sample (n = 126) consisted of 80 men and 46 women with a mean age of 54 years (SD = 13). In addition, a sub-sample (n = 37) participated in a driving simulator study before and after the intervention. To enrich the survey- and simulator-based findings, we conducted a focus group discussion about post-intervention experiences in traffic. Comparisons of pre and post survey results showed that constructive expression as measured by a slightly revised sub-scale of the Driving Anger Expression Inventory (DAX-short), increased significantly for EG participants but not within the CG. In addition, the involvement in milder forms of road anger (e.g., yelling) decreased significantly in the EG but not in the CG. In the simulator study, we observed that EG participants decreased the extent of aggressive driving, commenting and gesturing - however, none of these differences were statistically significant. EG participants self-assessed the intervention overall positive and 44 % reported that they had changed their way of thinking or reacting in traffic. Overall, results indicate a positive effect of the cognitive-behavioural group intervention. Study limitations, possibilities to improve the intervention and different areas of application are discussed., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Road rage has been a problem since the advent of cars. Given the ubiquity of road rage, and its potentially devastating consequences, understanding road rage and developing interventions to curb it are important priorities. Emerging theoretical and empirical advances in the study of emotion and emotion regulation have provided new insights into why people develop road rage and how it can be prevented and treated. In the current article, we suggest an integrative conceptual framework for understanding road rage, based upon a psychological analysis of emotion and emotion regulation. We begin by defining road rage and other key constructs. We then consider the interplay between road rage generation and road rage regulation. Using an emotion regulation framework, we describe key points at which emotion-regulation difficulties can lead to road rage, followed by strategies that may alleviate these difficulties. We suggest that this framework usefully organizes existing research on road rage, while exposing key directions for future research.

Research suggests that speech-based interventions can mitigate driving anger and enhance road safety. The present study found that both positive and negative comments can reduce anger state and perceived workload, and improve driving performance. In addition, positive comment including description of the driving environment and comment on drivers is more effective than negative comment intervention, which is indicated by larger effect size and higher user satisfaction and acceptance. The research findings could provide practical implications on the design of in-vehicle intelligent agents for driving behavior intervention., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Driving anger increases risk-taking in traffic and road traffic accident involvement. Herein, we examine the links between self-reported and observed driving anger, self-reported and observed aggressive driving, and personality traits. Specifically, sixty drivers drove in an anger-inducing simulated driving scenario. A video camera recorded their verbal and gestural expression during the simulator drive. Two weeks before the simulator drive, we assessed participants' basic personality traits, driving anger expression, and aberrant driving behaviour via an online survey. State anger was measured immediately before and after the simulator drive. From recorded simulator and video data, we obtained four measures: the number of accidents (simulator), an aggressive driving score (simulator), verbal expression of driving anger (video), and related gestures and headshakes (video). Verbal and gestural expression while driving were related to an increase in state anger in the simulator drive and different self-reported measures: While observed verbal expression was positively related to lapses and negatively related to constructive expression, gestural expression was positively related to both self-reported violations and self-reported aggressive expression. The traits Emotionality and Honesty-Humility were related to an increase in state anger and to verbal expression in the simulator drive, yet, age and gender modified the relation to personality traits. Results can support the development of personalised anger management interventions and anger mitigating in-vehicle devices., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective : Driving anger has been found to be a motivational determinant of risky and aggressive driving. The study reported in this article focused on research questions concerning the conceptualization of driving anger and relationships between driving anger and aggressive driving. Methods : In a cross-sectional survey study, 1,020 regular Serbian drivers completed a web-based online questionnaire. Exploratory Factor Analysis and Confirmatory Factor Analysis were used to assess the factor structure and psychometric properties of the Driving Anger Scale. Results : The results showed that the adapted DAS was a valid and reliable instrument divided into five subscales such as discourteous behavior, illegal behavior, slow driving, hostile gestures and traffic obstructions. The robustness of the five-factor model obtained from the EFA was confirmed by the CFA. The study provided evidence supporting the predictive validity of the adapted DAS and revealed that the dimensions of driving anger are differently associated with prosocial and aggressive driving behaviors. Conclusions : The study supports the adapted DAS validity and produces evidence that driving anger is associated with driving outcomes.

Objective: Speeding behavior is recognized as one of the three main causes of risk on the roads and the most frequent ordinary violation among truck drivers. The study reported in this article focused on the driving anger personality trait and its role in predicting the observed speeding behavior in a sample of truck drivers., Methods: A longitudinal study design was implemented, where 93 Serbian truck drivers filled in an adapted form of the Driving Anger Scale designed to assess the amount of driving anger evoked by specific traffic situations. The drivers' second-by-second speeding behavior data were captured using GPS tracking and recording devices installed in the vehicles over a period of six months. Hierarchical multiple linear regression was used to examine the predictive performance of driving anger., Results: The results showed that more than three fourths of the exceeded speed ranged from 1 to 9 km/h and the highest percentage of speed events occurred in urban areas. The findings suggest that truck drivers experienced the highest level of anger in driving because of the discourteous and illegal behavior of other drivers. Younger truck drivers are more likely to drive fast compared to older drivers. Truck drivers who perform driving tasks more often and spend less time driving are more likely to participate in speed events. The results revealed that the subscales of anger, hostile gestures and traffic obstructions have a positive effect, while slow driving has a negative effect on the observed speeding behavior of truck drivers., Conclusions: This study confirms the predictive performance of driving anger facets. The results of the research can help us improve our understanding of the mechanisms of speeding behavior of truck drivers.

With the dramatic increase in motorization, road traffic crashes have become the leading cause of death in China. To reduce the losses associated with road safety problems, it is important to understand the risk factors contributing to the high crash rate among Chinese drivers. This study investigated how driving anger and aberrant driving behaviors are related to crash risk by proposing and testing one mediated model. In this model, the effects of driving anger on road crash risk were mediated by aberrant driving behaviors. However, unlike previous studies, instead of using the overall scale scores, the subscales of driving anger and aberrant driving behaviors were used to establish the mediated model in this study. To test the validity of this model, an Internet-based questionnaire, which included various measures of driving anger, aberrant driving, and road crash history, was completed by a sample of 1974 Chinese drivers. The results showed that the model fitted the data very well and aberrant driving behaviors fully mediated the effects of driving anger on road crash risk. Findings from the present study are useful for the development of countermeasures to reduce road traffic crashes in China., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Objective: Driving anger is a common emotion while driving and has been associated with traffic crashes. This study aimed to investigate situations that increase driving anger among Chinese drivers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 3,101 drivers in southern China. The translated version of the 33-item Driving Anger Scale (DAS) was used to measure driving anger. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews between June 2016 and September 2016. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the fit of the original 6-factor model (discourtesy, traffic obstacles, hostile gestures, slow driving, illegal driving, and police presence) was satisfactory, after removing 2 items and allowing 5 error pairs to covary. The model showed satisfactory fit: goodness of fit index (GFI) = 0.90, incremental fit index (IFI) = 0.90, root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.06, 90% confidence interval (CI) = 0.061-0.064. Driving anger among Chinese drivers was lower than that in some Western countries. Compared to older and experienced drivers, younger and new drivers were more likely to report driving anger. There was no difference in total reported driving anger between males and females. Additionally, the higher the driver's anger level was, the more likely he or she was to have had a traffic crash. Conclusion: Driving anger is a common emotion among Chinese drivers and has a strong correlation with aggressive driving behavior and traffic crashes.

The present study tested the role of Dark Triad traits (DT; narcissism, psychopathy, and Machiavellianism) as potential contributors to self-reported aggressive driving alongside driving anger, general aggression, impulsiveness, and attributions of malign driving intent. Members of the general community (N = 168) completed an online survey battery measuring these characteristics, and a proxy measure of aggressive driving. Regression analyses revealed that psychopathy, a history of physical aggression towards others, and the "progress impeded" aspect of driving anger, accounted for 50.8% of the variance in self-reported aggressive driving behaviours. The remaining variables were not significant. A structural equation model found all measures fitted into a single model in which impulsivity and the DT predicted general aggression, general aggression fully mediated the effect of the DT on driving anger, and general aggression and progress impedance predicted self-reported aggressive driving (GFI = 0.925). These results indicate tendencies toward expressing aggression physically, frustration at goals being impeded, and a callous, impulsive nature can predispose an individual to aggressive driving behaviours. Implications of these findings and recommendations for research are discussed., (Crown Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Based on the results from three independent surveys conducted in Denmark in 2005, 2008 and 2016, this paper provides an overview of the development of road anger expression in general and in demographic sub-groups of road users. In addition, it investigates how people explain own and other people's road anger expression and if attributed reasons are related to demographic factors and level of anger expression measured based on the short form of the driving anger expression inventory (DAX-short). From 2005 to 2016 the percentage of people involved in anger expression incidents increased particularly in the densely populated Capital Region of Denmark. The increase was most pronounced for "yelling" and "threatening". Men were more often involved than women both as aggressor and as victim, but the gender difference decreased from 2008 to 2016. Generally, own anger expression was more often explained with getting frightened (non-hostile attribution), while anger expression by other road users was more often explained by not being able to control own anger or by wanting to show that one made a mistake (hostile attribution). However, people scoring high in aggressive anger expression often explained own anger expression by "not being able to control anger", thereby indicating self-reflection and a potential for behavioural change. Behavioural reactions to being frightened are to some extend mistakenly interpreted as expressions of anger by other road users. Results indicate that cognitive and behavioural interventions, possibly as part of the driver education, are relevant to reduce aggressive anger expression in traffic., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Public transport is an effective and sustainable alternative to private vehicle usage, also helping to reduce the environmental impact of driving. However, the work environment of public transport operators is full of adverse conditions, which, together with their high mileage, may increase the occurrence of negative safety outcomes such as traffic accidents, often preceded by risky road behaviors enhanced by stress, anger, and difficult operating conditions. The aims of this study were, first, to determine the association between work-related psychosocial factors and individual characteristics of public transport drivers and the rate of traffic sanctions they are subject to; and second, to assess the mediation of driving anger in this relationship. A sample of professional drivers (57.4% city bus, 17.6% taxi, and 25% inter-urban bus male operators) was used for this cross-sectional study, responding to a five-section survey including demographic data and driving-related factors, psychosocial work factors including job stress, driving stress, risk predisposition, and driving anger. The results of this study showed significant associations between work-related factors: measures of stress and self-reported rates of traffic fines. Second, it was found that driving anger mediates the associations between driving stress, risk predisposition, and traffic sanctions; and partially mediates the association between driving experience, hourly intensity, and job stress. This study supports the idea that traffic penalties reported by public transport rates are preceded by work-related, personality, and other individual factors that, when combined with driving anger, enhance the occurrence of road misbehavior that may affect overall road safety., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing interests.

Objective: Driving aggression and anxiety are significant contributors to risky driving and motor vehicle crashes (MVCs), which are leading causes of U.S. morbidity and mortality. Even though aggression and anxiety can be conceptualized as related features of the fight-or-flight response, literature on these topics has not been integrated. Driving aggression and anxiety are also transdiagnostic constructs that span multiple psychiatric disorders. Assessment and treatment of these complex problems must be understood to reduce the public health burden of MVCs., Method: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PsycInfo and Google Scholar., Results: Definitions and prevalence of constructs including driving anger, aggressive driving, posttraumatic stress disorder, driving phobia, and transdiagnostic factors are delineated. Psychosocial correlates and assessment instruments are reviewed. Theoretical models that explicate personological, affective, cognitive, and behavioral components are explored. Differential and shared processes underlying driving aggression and anxiety are examined. Interventions are described, with a focus on promising cognitive-behavioral methods., Conclusion: Driving aggression and anxiety likely share affective and cognitive characteristics such as emotional reactivity and distorted threat appraisals. Further research is needed to support theoretical models linking driving aggression and anxiety, and to validate assessment instruments that capture both constructs. Epidemiologic studies are needed to determine norms, prevalence, and clinical cutpoints. Integration of interventions for these interrelated problems could ultimately reduce risky driving and MVCs., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

An extensive body of research has found that angry and aggressive driving are both significantly related to crash involvement. There has also been a large body of research investigating the situational factors related to angry and aggressive driving, but one interesting question that has not yet been answered is whether the enforcement of traffic laws causes or reduces angry and aggressive driving. The independent region of Northern Kosovo represents a unique opportunity to investigate the impact of a lack of traffic enforcement on driving behaviour. Therefore, the present study set out to investigate whether the presence of traffic enforcement has a significant impact on the level of driver anger and aggressive driving. Registered owners of motor vehicles in Northern Kosovo and Serbia were both sent a questionnaire which contained the 28-item Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI) and the 21-item UK Driving Anger Scale (UKDAS). This found that anger was higher in two of the four driving anger factors (direct hostility and progress impeded) and two of the three DDDI factors (risky driving & aggressive driving). Furthermore, the present study found that the lack of police enforcement was a significant predictor of both aggressive and risky driving, even after the driving anger and demographic variables had been partialled out. Therefore, it appears that introducing or increasing traffic enforcement may be one method of reducing aggressive and risky driving behaviour., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Based on the short form of the driving anger expression inventory (DAX-short, 15-item), the present study developed an adapted version of the DAX for cyclists (CAX, 14 items). The data basis was an online survey of 2000 inhabitants of Denmark. A principle component analysis on the translated DAX-short confirmed the 4-factor solution of the original study differentiating between (1) personal physical aggressive expression, (2) use of a vehicle to express anger, (3) verbal aggressive expression and (4) adaptive/constructive expression. In case of cycling, the factor "use of a vehicle to express anger" only included one item and was left out. Based on the results, reliable subscales were developed. Drivers scored higher in verbal aggressive expression than cyclists, while there was no significant difference in constructive expression. The subscales for drivers and cyclists showed significant relations to age, gender, self-reported aggressive behaviours and traffic fines: Women scored for instance lower in physical expression, while older people scored higher in constructive expression. The effect of age and gender on anger expression among drivers and cyclists remained significant when controlling for exposure and other factors in linear regression analyses. These analyses also showed a relationship between a positive attitude towards driving and higher levels of anger expression among drivers, while this was not the case for cyclists., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The present study investigated the validity of the 25-item Driving Anger Expression Inventory (DAX) as well as the role of sex and gender-roles in relation to the expression of driving anger in a sample of 378 French drivers (males=38%, M=32.9years old). Confirmatory Factor Analysis supported the four-factor structure of the 25-item DAX (Adaptive/Constructive Expression; Use of the Vehicle to Express Anger; Verbal Aggressive Expression and Personal Physical Aggressive Expression) and two of the three aggressive factors were found to have significant positive relationships with driving anger, while adaptive/constructive expression was negatively related to driving anger. Use of the vehicle to express anger was not significantly related to crash involvement, but was significantly related to all other crash-related conditions (traffic tickets, loss of concentration, loss of control of the vehicle, near crash). The presence of feminine traits, but not sex, was predictive of adaptive/constructive behaviours, while masculine traits predicted more frequent verbal aggressive expression, use of the vehicle to express anger, personal physical aggressive expression and total aggressive expression. This finding may account for the inconsistent relationship found between driving anger and sex in previous research. This research also found that the 25-item DAX is a valid tool to measure the expression of driving anger and that the endorsement of masculine traits are related to more aggressive forms of driving anger expression., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Past studies found many different types of factors can influence dangerous driving behaviors. Driver inattention, such as driving under the influence or using a cell phone while driving, was found to contribute to risky driving behaviors. Rumination is a cognitive process that may also contribute to risky driving behaviors due to its influence on attention and limited executive processes. The present study explores the potential role of rumination in dangerous driving behavior endorsement. It was hypothesized that trait rumination would be significantly related to dangerous driving behaviors and that this relationship would be conditional to the sex of the participant. Six-hundred and fifty-three Southeastern university students were recruited to participate and asked to complete multiple questionnaires measuring anger rumination, thought content, driving anger, and dangerous driving behaviors. It was demonstrated that self-reported risky driving behaviors significantly predicted dangerous driving behavior endorsement on the Dula Dangerous Driving Index. Trait rumination scores were found to predict self-reported dangerous driving, aggressive driving, and risky driving behaviors as well as trait driving anger scores. However, no conditional effects based on the sex of the participant were found. It appeared males and females were equally likely to report dangerous driving behaviors, driving anger thoughts, and trait anger rumination. Findings from the current study may assist in understanding how cognitive processes influence different driving behaviors and help develop methods to re-direct attention to safe driving behaviors, and conversely away from ruminative thoughts that increase the likelihood of dangerous driving., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The current study investigated the validity of the revised (25-item) version of the driving anger expression inventory (DAX) on a novel sample of 385 drivers from Ukraine. The roles of sex and gender in relation to self-reported aggressive tendencies were also examined. Confirmatory factor analysis supported the four-factor structure of the DAX (adaptive/constructive expression; use of the vehicle to express anger; verbal aggressive expression; and personal physical aggressive expression), and the three aggressive factors were found to have positive relationships with trait anger and driving anger, while adaptive/constructive expression was negatively related to trait and driving anger. Drivers who reported recent near-misses or loss of concentration scored higher on verbal aggressive expression. Those who had recently received a traffic ticket also reported higher levels of all three types of aggressive anger expression. Further, the presence of feminine traits, but not sex, predicted more adaptive/constructive behaviors and lower scores for verbal aggressive expression, personal physical aggressive expression, and total aggressive expression. However, masculine traits did not predict any of these factors. This research concludes that the revised DAX is a valid tool to measure the expression of driving anger and that the endorsement of feminine traits is related to less aggressive expression of driving anger., (© 2016 Society for Risk Analysis.)

This study aimed to examine the effects of both hindrance and challenge demands on driving anger within the framework of the job demands-resources (JD-R) model. We collected self-reported data from 411 office workers driving to and from work each day in five cities in China. The results from a structural equation modeling analysis indicated that both hindrance and challenge demands were positively related to emotional exhaustion, which was in turn positively correlated with driving anger. Moreover, work engagement was positively correlated with driving anger. Implications of the present findings regarding both the JD-R model and driving safety research are discussed., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

The relationship between driving anger and negative driving outcomes, such as dangerous driving behaviors and traffic violations, has been the topic of several studies, but few studies have explored drivers' angry thoughts when they encounter anger-provoking situations and the potential consequences of such thoughts. The purpose of this study was to investigate drivers' angry thoughts behind the wheel and their relationship with dangerous driving behaviors. A total of 303 Chinese drivers completed the Chinese version of the Driver's Angry Thoughts Questionnaire (DATQ), the Dula Dangerous Driving Index (DDDI) and the Driving Anger Scale (DAS). A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) of the Chinese DATQ yielded a five-factor solution with 20 items that showed the best goodness of fit for the data. The brief DATQ also showed good reliability and validity. Three forms of aggressive thinking were positively correlated with dangerous driving behaviors, and coping self-instruction was negatively correlated with dangerous driving behaviors and traffic violations. More importantly, aggressive thinking mediated the effect of driving anger on dangerous driving behaviors, indicating the importance of thoughts behind the wheel. These results provide evidence supporting the development of strategies to reduce and prevent aggressive driving and accidents., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Through the use of meta-analysis, this study investigated the relationships between driving anger and five types of driving outcomes (aggressive driving, risky driving, driving errors, near misses and accidents). The moderating effects of three variables (age, study publication year, and participants' country of origin) on these relationships were also examined. A total of 51 studies published over the past two decades met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. The results showed that driving anger significantly predicted all three types of aberrant driving, with zero-order correlations of 0.312, 0.243, and 0.179 with aggressive driving, risky driving and driving errors, respectively. The correlations between driving anger and accident-related conditions, though at relatively weaker levels, were still statistically significant. Tests for effects of the moderating variables suggested that driving anger was a stronger predictor of risky driving among young drivers than among old drivers. Also, the anger-aggression association was found to decrease over time and vary across countries. The implications of the results and the directions for future research are discussed., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Trait driving anger is often, but not always, found to predict both the intensity of anger while driving and subsequent crash-related behaviours. However, a number of studies have not found support for a direct relationship between one's tendency to become angry and anger reported while driving, suggesting that other factors may mediate this relationship. The present self-report study investigated whether, in anger provoking driving situations, the appraisals made by drivers influence the relationship between trait and state anger. A sample of 339 drivers from Ukraine completed the 33-item version of the Driver Anger Scale (DAS; Deffenbacher et al., 1994) and eight questions about their most recent experience of driving anger. A structural equation model found that the intensity of anger experienced was predicted by the negative evaluations of the situation, which was in turn predicted by trait driving anger. However, trait driving anger itself did not predict anger intensity; supporting the hypothesis that evaluations of the driving situation mediate the relationship between trait and state anger. Further, the unique structure of the DAS required to fit the data from the Ukrainian sample, may indicate that the anger inducing situations in Ukraine are different to those of a more developed country. Future research is needed to investigate driving anger in Ukraine in a broader sample and also to confirm the role of the appraisal process in the development of driving anger in both developed and undeveloped countries., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Aggressive driving is acknowledged as a contributor to motor vehicle crashes. This study explored a theoretical model of aggressive expression and crash-related outcomes using self-report data collected, using an online questionnaire, from drivers in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland. The proposed model tested whether the personality traits of boredom proneness, sensation seeking, and impulsivity, coupled with trait driving anger, predicted aggressive driving; and whether aggressive driving predicted crash-related outcomes (loss of concentration and control, near misses, and moving violations). The structural model was confirmed, with aggressive expressions of anger being found to mediate the relationships driving anger and impulsivity had with the crash-related outcomes. Multigroup invariance analysis showed that the model remained invariant across drivers from the United Kingdom and Ireland, suggesting that the contributing factors for aggressive expression and crash involvement are similar across both countries. When self-reported crash-related conditions were compared between drivers in the United Kingdom and Ireland, drivers in the United Kingdom reported more aggressive driving, more minor crashes, more incidents of road rage, and more frequent losses of concentration and vehicle control., (© 2015 Society for Risk Analysis.)

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between driving anger and aberrant driving behaviours. An internet-based questionnaire survey was administered to a sample of Chinese drivers, with driving anger measured by a 14-item short Driving Anger Scale (DAS) and the aberrant driving behaviours measured by a 23-item Driver Behaviour Questionnaire (DBQ). The results of Confirmatory Factor Analysis demonstrated that the three-factor model (hostile gesture, arrival-blocking and safety-blocking) of the DAS fitted the driving anger data well. The Exploratory Factor Analysis on DBQ data differentiated four types of aberrant driving, viz. emotional violation, error, deliberate violation and maintaining progress violation. For the anger-aberration relation, it was found that only "arrival-blocking" anger was a significant positive predictor for all four types of aberrant driving behaviours. The "safety-blocking" anger revealed a negative impact on deliberate violations, a finding different from previously established positive anger-aberration relation. These results suggest that drivers with different patterns of driving anger would show different behavioural tendencies and as a result intervention strategies may be differentially effective for drivers of different profiles., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: Various studies have implicated psychosocial variables (e.g., hostility) in risk of dangerous driving and traffic accidents. However, whether these variables are related to more basic neurobiological factors, and whether such associations have implications for the modification of psychosocial risk factors in the context of driving, have not been examined in depth. This study examined the relationship between hemispheric preference (HP), hostility and self-reported dangerous driving, and the ability to affect driving anger via hemisphere activating cognitive exercises (HACE)., Methods: In Study 1, 254 Turkish students completed questionnaires of hostility, HP and driving behavior. In Study 2, we conducted a "proof of concept" experimental study, and tested effects of left, right and neutral HACE on driving anger, by exposing N=650 Turkish students to written scenarios including either logical (left hemisphere), visuo-spatial (right hemisphere) or "mild doses" of both types of contents (control)., Results: In Study 1, left-HP was associated with higher hostility and with more dangerous driving, and hostility mediated the relationship between L-HP and reported driving behavior. In Study 2, only right-HACE led to immediate significant reductions in self-reported driving anger., Conclusions: Left-HP is related to hostility and to dangerous driving, and it may be possible to partly reduce driving anger by right-HACE. Future studies must replicate these findings with objective measures, more enduring interventions and longer follow-ups., (Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The present study developed a revised version of the driving anger expression inventory (25-items) and a short (15-item) version using data from 551 drivers. Split half factor analyses on both versions confirmed the original four factors; personal physical aggressive expression, use of a vehicle to express anger, verbal aggressive expression and adaptive/constructive expression. The two DAX versions were strongly correlated, demonstrating the suitability of both forms of the scale and the aggressive forms of expression were higher for drivers who reported initiating road rage interactions. Total aggressive expression was also higher for drivers who reported recent crash-related conditions, such as: loss of concentration, losing control of their vehicle, moving violations, near-misses and major crashes. The revised DAX and DAX-short provide shorter versions of the 49-item DAX that can more easily be combined with other questionnaires and require smaller sample sizes to analyse. Further research is required to validate these tools among different samples and populations., (Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

This study was aimed at investigating the relationship between trait forgivingness, general anger, hostility, driving anger, and self-reported aggressive driving committed by the driver him/herself ("self" scale) and perceiving him/herself as an object of other drivers' aggressive acts ("other" scale). The Slovak version of questionnaires was administrated to a sample of 612 Slovak and Czech drivers. First, the factor structure of the Driver Anger Indicators Scale (DAIS) was investigated. Factor analyses of the self and other parts of the DAIS resulted in two factors, which were named as aggressive warnings and hostile aggression and revenge. Next, the results showed that from all dependent variables (scales of the DAIS), self-reported aggressive warnings (self) on the road were predicted best by chosen person-related factors. The path model for aggressive warnings (self) suggested that trait forgivingness and general anger were fully mediated by driving anger whereas hostility proved to be a unique predictor of aggressive behavior in traffic. Driving anger was found to be the best predictor of perceptions that other drivers behave aggressively., (Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Maladaptive driving is an important source of self-inflicted accidents and this driving style could include high speeds, speeding violations, and poor lateral control of the vehicle. The literature suggests that certain groups of drivers, such as novice drivers, males, highly motivated drivers, and those who frequently experience anger in traffic, tend to exhibit more maladaptive driving patterns compared to other drivers. Remarkably, no coherent framework is currently available to describe the relationships and distinct influences of these factors., Method: We conducted two studies with the aim of creating a multivariate model that combines the aforementioned factors, describes their relationships, and predicts driving performance more precisely. The studies employed different techniques to elicit emotion and different tracks designed to explore the driving behaviors of participants in potentially anger-provoking situations. Study 1 induced emotions with short film clips. Study 2 confronted the participants with potentially anger-inducing traffic situations during the simulated drive., Results: In both studies, participants who experienced high levels of anger drove faster and exhibited greater longitudinal and lateral acceleration. Furthermore, multiple linear regressions and path-models revealed that highly motivated male drivers displayed the same behavior independent of their emotional state. The results indicate that anger and specific risk characteristics lead to maladaptive changes in important driving parameters and that drivers with these specific risk factors are prone to experience more anger while driving, which further worsens their driving performance. Driver trainings and anger management courses will profit from these findings because they help to improve the validity of assessments of anger related driving behavior., (© 2013.)