16 Percent of Michigan Motorists Diagnosed as Aggressive/Stressed Drivers, According to Survey Conducted for Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning
28 August 1997
16 Percent of Michigan Motorists Diagnosed as Aggressive/Stressed Drivers, According to Survey Conducted for Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning
LANSING, Mich., Aug. 28 /PR Newswire/ -- About one in six Michigan
motorists -- nearly a million drivers -- may be in danger of "overheating" or
driving "in the red," according to a just-released statewide survey to measure
driver stress and aggression. The survey, conducted in July by EPIC-MRA for
the Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning (OHSP), helps quantify how many
drivers are under stress or drive aggressively on a regular basis.
It's no coincidence the survey's release is just prior to the Labor Day
weekend, when the Michigan Safe + Sober campaign prepares to step up
enforcement and education efforts aimed primarily at aggressive drivers.
"We've heard a tremendous amount of anecdotal accounts regarding
aggressive drivers," said Betty J. Mercer, OHSP division director. "We felt
it was time to quantify the extent of the problem and determine what the
greatest problem is in Michigan so we can begin to address it."
According to the survey, 56 percent of aggressive drivers are women,
contrary to what many people believed. This points to a potential future
problem and the need for messages that target women specifically. The survey
also shows that aggressive drivers are more likely to be single, under 35,
have less than a college education and fall into the middle income category.
"Clearly, there are a lot of angry and impatient drivers behind the
wheel," said Ed Sarpolus of EPIC-MRA. "And it should be noted that women are
just as likely, if not more so, to be potential aggressive drivers."
The driver stress test, developed by John Larson, M.D., who heads the
Institute for Stress Medicine in Norwalk, Conn., rates drivers in four
categories: anger, impatience, competition and punishing. Many Michigan
motorists, especially young women, scored especially high on the anger and
impatience portions of the survey.
"Our first step is to get people to recognize they have a problem," Mercer
said. "People have to stop blaming the other driver. The only thing people
can control is themselves and their own reaction to traffic situations."
Dr. Larson is in Lansing today to conduct a special aggressive driver
seminar for Michigan law enforcement officers to help them identify aggressive
drivers and provide useful tips to assist them in educating the driving
public. Larson urges all motorists to consider several things when faced with
stress or aggression.
* Think more about making time spent driving good, instead of making
good time.
* Driving is not a competition.
* Be polite and courteous, even if the other driver isn't.
* It's not your job to teach others how to drive.
Driver stress tests will be available throughout the weekend at the 45
Operation C.A.R.E. rest areas where motorists can test themselves to see how
they rate, and receive tips to relieve their driving stress.
An earlier survey, conducted in late 1996, helped profile the aggressive
driver in Michigan. Slightly more than half the people felt most aggressive
drivers were men, 20 to 25 years old.
Michigan Safe + Sober is an ongoing education and enforcement program with
stepped up enforcement periods taking place over holidays when traffic
fatalities tend to increase. The campaign continues to focus on enforcement
of the state's speed, alcohol and safety belt laws.
Michigan Safe + Sober involves Michigan State Police, sheriff departments
and local police agencies. In all, 18 cooperative county-wide projects are
underway in addition to 10 smaller projects. Those counties involved in the
project ate: Berrien, Calhoun, Clare, Emmet, Genesee, Grand Traverse, Ingham,
Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kent, Lapeer, Marquette, Monroe, Oakland, Ottawa, Saginaw,
Washtenaw and Wayne. Smaller grants have been awarded to: Allen Park, Ann
Arbor, Clinton County, Gratiot County, Houghton County, Livonia, Marquette
City, Oxford, Southfield and West Branch.
SOURCE Michigan Office of Highway Safety Planning