UK Iceberg Road Rage - A New Menace on Our Roads

CARDIFF, Wales, January 8 -- Eight out of ten motorists on Britain's roads has admitted to getting angry at other drivers, and almost half of them confess to giving V-signs and fingers - although they deliberately make sure the rude gestures can't be seen.

And a staggering half of all motorists say they spend miles after an incident plotting how they would take their revenge on the other driver - without having any intention of ever really doing so.

The leading psychologist who conducted the survey reckons that these angry thoughts and hidden hand movements can be more dangerous and distracting than actual violence between drivers on Britain's highways.

Dr David Lewis, the man credited with first coining the phrase 'road rage', has discovered the new motoring menace - which he's dubbed Iceberg Road Rage Syndrome - through a nationwide survey commissioned by online car insurance specialist, www.screentrade.co.uk.

The survey reveals that not only is Iceberg Road Rage becoming increasingly widespread, but it can prove even more dangerous than the more obvious displays of fury between angry motorists.

While Iceberg drivers rarely resort to abusive words, obscene gestures or actual violence against another motorist, they do confess to thinking angry thoughts about an inconsiderate fellow motorist.

According to Dr Lewis, these angry thoughts still make them a menace behind the wheel by distracting them from the road ahead, and as a result, they tend to drive much more dangerously and far less responsibly.

Eight out of ten drivers surveyed said they frequently muttered angrily under their breath, four out of ten admitted to making a rude gesture but not so that it could be seen, while a third said they brooded angrily about what they considered dangerous or inconsiderate driving on the part of other motorists.

Such angry thoughts can occupy a motorist's mind for a considerable amount of time, with one in ten admitting that their furious broodings continued for an hour or more, and six out of ten admitted they focused on what had just happened for up to ten minutes.

"These bitter ruminations distract drivers and prevent them from devoting their full attention to road conditions and other vehicles," said Dr Lewis.

"They may also make them drive less courteously and more riskily as they fantasise about taking their revenge on the offending motorists.

"Bear in mind that, if driving on a motorway, even a 10 minute distraction means someone driving at the legal limit will have covered several miles, while an hour's worth of distraction could take the driver's mind off their task for seventy miles or more.

"Clearly, the potential for serious errors of judgement under these circumstances is significant and extremely worrying. I've called this syndrome Iceberg Road Rage Syndrome because most of it is hidden beneath what may appear an outwardly calm surface."

Screentrade.co.uk wants motorists to be aware of the consequences of Iceberg Road Rage Syndrome. Screentrade's chief operating officer, Nigel Lombard, said: "In the past attention has focused on the visible signs of road rage. Our research demonstrates that there is a widespread, perhaps even more dangerous, form of motorist anger and frustration that can prevent drivers from fully concentrating on the road and the hazards ahead. We would urge drivers to understand the importance of being alert and fully aware of everything around them when on the road."

Note to editors

Dr David Lewis is a pioneering psychologist, author and award-winning broadcaster. He has written more than thirty best-selling books which have been published world-wide in different language. David's sense of humour and showmanship naturally led to major television work like Channel Four's highly acclaimed 'Red Mist', BBC radio series 'Lewis on Life' and the Sony Award winning 'Sporting Partnerships' interviewing sporting legends. The man who invented the term 'road rage' is also the resident psychologist for GMTV and appears on The Dating Game TV Show. In the US he has been on The Larry King Show and 'Good Morning America'. His research into human performance has been featured in documentaries by US and European TV stations. BBC documentary series QED devoted an entire programme to his work

General Insurance advice is provided by Screentrade, a trading name of Lloyds TSB Insurance Services Limited. Registered in England No. 968406. 25 Gresham Street London EC2V 7HN Member of the General Insurance Standards Council.

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