Aggressive driving behavior and speeding are the top issues in Dutch traffic: Survey

People driving aggressively and speeding motorists are the greatest sources of annoyance in traffic, insurer Univé said on Monday. Roughly 74 percent of over a thousand people surveyed complained about aggressive driving behavior, like tailgating or cutting people off in traffic.

About 43 percent saiid they find road users who drive far too fast to be particularly irritating, while a quarter of those surveyed took issue with drivers who drive too slowly.

Half of those surveyed for the study also said that texting cyclists cause nuisance, and 46 percent said cyclists who make it difficult to pass them on a provincial road create problematic situations. Cyclists who do not use lights caused concern among 43 percent of respondents.

One in eight drivers told the MarketReponse surveyors that they have actually gotten out of their vehicle at some point to seek confrontation. While 23 percent said they have encountered a situation where another driver exited their vehicle to confront them. A majority of drivers indicated that an aggressive or irritated road user confronted them with vulgur hand gestures (67 percent) and by cutting them off in traffic (70 percent) as retaliation.

“Peace of mind and concentration of motorists determine the safety of their driving behavior. Our research makes it clear why and to what extent this is disrupted by other road users,” said Johan van den Neste, director of Univé Schade, about the motivation behind the study.

“Certainly when there is aggressive or shoddy driving behavior by fellow road users, irritation quickly surfaces among many drivers.” This is often a factor in dangerous situations that can lead to an accident, Van den Neste said. “Of course, we want to prevent that.”

Daan van Nieuwenburg, behavioral researcher at Veilig Verkeer Nederland (VVN), said drivers really need to set a good example in stressful traffic situations. “Count to ten more often and remember that everyone makes mistakes sometimes, including you,” he said.

“Traffic aggression is not only dangerous for you, but also for other road users. By being aware of the causes and consequences and acting proactively to reduce aggression, we all contribute to safer traffic.”