Rage Gauge: New Study Shows Drivers Less Angry, More Alert When Scent Is Added to Car Environment

80 percent of survey respondents "feel better" when their cars smell good

Snide's Remarks;Does that mean when your passengers smell good you are a better driver? Could we then say that B.O. is the cause of car crashes? Let me know what you stink oh no I mean think msnide@theautochannel.com

LEXINGTON, Ky., April 19 -- According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 100,000 automobile accidents are caused each year by drivers falling asleep at the wheel, resulting in thousands of injuries and deaths. AAA reports that road rage incidents are on the rise, and aggressive driving is rated as the number one traffic safety concern. But the results of a recent study by researchers at Wheeling Jesuit University suggest a simple solution to curb some of these tragic statistics: car air fresheners.

In the study, commissioned by AroMetrics(TM), drivers were more alert and experienced less fatigue when the scent of pine was added to the car interior. The study also revealed that drivers demonstrated a decreased level of anger and improved overall driving performance when exposed to strawberry and pine scents.

Researchers conducted the study using a car simulator, exposing participants to pine and strawberry scents, and monitoring driving tendencies, including lane tracking, speed, collisions, and reaction times, as well as behavioral factors such as alertness, fatigue, anger and overall performance. Behavior was also monitored without scent to establish control data. The study used AroMetrics' new Auto Fragrance System air fresheners as the method of dispensing the scent in the simulated car environment.

As part of the research, AroMetrics also surveyed a nationwide sample of more than 2,100 U.S. adults. When asked to identify their primary reason for purchasing a car air freshener, 62% indicated they do so "to create a nice environment," compared to 38% who purchase them primarily "to eliminate odor." And four of every five respondents strongly agreed or somewhat agreed with the statement, "When my car smells good I feel better."

"Studies show the U.S. has more than 115 million commuters and the average American spends 2 1/2 hours in his or her car each day," said Dr. Bryan Raudenbush, lead project researcher and associate professor at Wheeling Jesuit University. "Clearly, as we spend more time in our cars, we want that environment to be as enjoyable as possible. Something as simple as a car air freshener can make us less angry and more alert and create that nice environment we're looking for in our cars."

About AroMetrics(TM)

The AroMetrics Auto Fragrance System is the newest product from Eagle One appearance products and the Valvoline family of brands. A line of air fresheners designed to provide consistent, long-lasting scent to any automobile, AroMetrics air fresheners are adjustable so you can control the fragrance intensity, eliminating the strong, initial blast of fragrance. AroMetrics features four designs and is available in 15 scents. Valvoline is a division of Ashland Inc. . Visit www.arometrics.com for more information.