Comfort and Cabin UX Key to reduce Road Rage
Comfort and cabin user experience is the key to reducing driver stress and the instances of road rage according to a study by Citroën in the UK.
It claims that 40% of drivers surveyed believe that being comfortable in a car will help them to avoid the dangers of road rage while driving. The study of 2,000 UK motorists revealed 62% admitted to having experienced road rage themselves and 47% say they have been a victim of another drivers’ road rage.
The research found that being cut off on the road by other drivers is the main cause of road rage for almost 50% of drivers, while other traits which were found to commonly cause anger included 39% citing being over-taken inappropriately and 37% when other drivers failing to indicate. Researchers found city and town centers are the environment that drivers struggle to keep their cool in most.
Here 37% said this was the setting that they found road rage occurred most commonly, while 29% reported tackling roundabouts and 25% when driving on motorways were also noted as regular hot spots for anger. Admitting inappropriate use of the car horn, 55% did this commonly to express their irritation, while 51% admit to regularly turning to cursing or swearing at fellow drivers while experiencing road rage.
Eurig Druce, managing director of Citroën UK said: “Aggravated drivers are often at risk of causing harm to themselves and fellow drivers on the road. With 62% of drivers having admitted to experiencing road rage, it is a focus for Citroën to ensure our vehicles provide the optimum environment for driver and passenger comfort.”
— Paul Myles is a seasoned automotive journalist based in Europe. Follow him on Twitter @Paulmyles_
