21 Million Drivers Have Been Victims Of Road Rage In The Past Year

    LONDON, ENGLAND, April 24, 2009 /24-7PressRelease/ -- An alarming 58% of motorists have been victims of road rage incidents in the past year, according to new research(1) from Sainsbury's Car Insurance. The findings also reveal that an estimated 2.4 million motorists have either been victims themselves or know someone who has been a victim of car jacking. Sainsbury's Car Insurance warns that most motor insurance policies don't offer any cover for motorists who become victims of road rage(2).

The research(1) estimates that of those people who have suffered at the hands of another "road-enraged" driver during the past year, over 330,000 motorists have been physically assaulted during the incident and 5% of motorists have even been threatened with physical violence. 16% of motorists questioned claim to know someone else who has fallen foul of road rage aggression in the past 12 months.

Worryingly, 265,000(1) people are estimated to have been car jacked themselves, where an individual had tried to forcibly obtain their car while they were in it, and a further 262,000 claim to have suffered a failed car jacking attempt. Nearly one and a half million people claim to know of somebody else who has been a victim of car jacking.

An estimated 23.2 million drivers(1) or around two thirds of all British motorists admit to having felt road rage themselves, with another driver's tailgating being the most common cause of rage. One in three (34%) drivers were left feeling rage when another driver pulled out at a junction when it wasn't clear to do so and one in four (26%) found someone driving too slowly the source of their road rage.
Joanne Mallon, Sainsbury's Car Insurance Manager, said: "A worrying number of motorists have unfortunately suffered from road rage or car jacking and the result can be both mentally and physically scarring for the victims. It's important that these victims aren't left high and dry, which is why we offer a counselling and financial package for motorists who have been victims of car jacking or distressed by a road rage incident."

According to the research, men are the most likely to have been involved in a road rage incident, and those aged between 18-24 appear to be the most vulnerable with 69% of drivers in that age group saying that they had been a victim. The over 65 age group experiences the least road rage incidents. Interestingly those most likely to be victims of road rage incidents are also most likely to be perpetrators of them, with 18-24 year olds among the most likely to feel rage behind the wheel. Those over 65 are also the least likely to feel road rage themselves.

From a geographical perspective, the South West has the highest percentage of people who have been a victim of a road rage incident, with 65% of motorists having been victims of this in this region. Wales has the smallest proportion of drivers who have been victims of motorists with road rage, at 47%.

Sainsbury's offers the following advice for staying calm behind the wheel:
• Ensure your seating position is comfortable
• Work out your route in advance and listen to the radio for any traffic news
• Turn off your mobile phone
• Make sure your fuel tank is filled up
• Give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination early
• Count to ten before reacting to somebody else's poor driving

Sainsbury's provide a wide range of financial services including credit cards, savings accounts, life insurance, home insurance, pet insurance. Visit www.sainsburysbank.co.uk now to find out more

Notes to Editors:

(1)The consumer omnibus research of 2,011 GB adults aged 18 or over was carried out online by ICM between 20th and 22nd March 2009. ICM uses a large sample size that reflects the demographic profile of the UK. Given this it is possible to extrapolate figures and make projections from the research results within appropriate confidence intervals. So 5% of the UK adult population of 45.89 million is 2.3m. Figures are estimates.

(2) MoneyExpert.com estimates that around one in twenty fully comprehensive car insurance policies have a specific allowance for personal injury caused by road rage (April 2008)
Sainsbury's car insurance is arranged and administered by esure Services Limited. Registered in England No.2135610 at The Observatory, Reigate RH2 0SG. Not available in Northern Ireland or the Channel Islands or for drivers over 80 and subject to normal acceptance criteria. Like all insurers there may be circumstances where we are unable to provide a quote. Calls may be monitored and recorded.

Source: Sainsbury's
Website: http://www.sainsburysbank.co.uk/

# # #