The Age of Road Rage: The relationship of a driver's age and road rage behaviours in Canada

There's a saying that says, "Patience is something you admire in the driver behind you and scorn in the one ahead." How one scorns another driver while behind the wheel, may largely be influenced by age.

A recent study on road rage in Canada from Kanetix.ca suggests that younger drivers admit to road rage more than drivers aged 55 and older. Specifically, drivers aged 18 to 44 were more likely to admit to following another vehicle too closely, yelling or swearing at another driver, making inappropriate hand gestures, and weaving in an out of traffic compared to their counterparts aged 55 and older:

  • Back off buddy: 29 per cent of drivers aged 18-44 admit to following another vehicle too closely, compared to 16 per cent of drivers aged 55 and older.
  • @#$%: 28 per cent of younger drivers admit to yelling or using profanity, compared to 12 per cent of older drivers.
  • Angry birds: 23 per cent of younger drivers admit to showing their anger with a hand gesture, compared to 12 per cent of older drivers.
  • Dart and weave: 16 per cent of younger drivers admit to weaving in-and-out of traffic in anger, compared to 4 per cent of older drivers.
What's behind all the anger?

Interestingly, the triggers for road rage are not solely in response to just the poor behaviour of other drivers, but also include personal issues like time management, having a bad day, and being uncomfortable in one's driving environment (such as city driving):

Road rage statistics: Triggers for road rage

The age of auto insurance

From an auto insurance perspective, the study's results suggest that older drivers, by way of their unwillingness to take part in road rage behaviours, are safer drivers. Road rage, in all of its forms, can lead to bad decisions and result in tickets, accidents, increased car insurance rates, or worse. Add in their year's of experience, and -if over the age of 55 or retired-eligibility for senior insurance discounts, and it's easy to see why this age group typically enjoy lower car insurance fees.

Regardless of who's driving,, the best way to decrease the chance of accidents, higher auto insurance premiums, or getting tickets is to plan your trip ahead of time, keep calm behind the wheel, and stay focused on the road without allowing distractions to steal your attention.

Road Rage in Canada: In Depth

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