- With Labor Day expected to bring record-breaking domestic travel, new research from Nextbase highlights the need for patience during holiday getaways
- About 8 in 10 (79%) American motorists have experienced road rage or aggressive driving, with more than a third (34%) experiencing it multiple times a month
- Road Rage ranked second only to distracted driving among the greatest on-road dangers
- Veteran law enforcement officer provides top five tips to arrive alive even if you witness a road rage incident
LOS ANGELES, Aug. 22, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Labor Day is known as the unofficial end of summer, and for many, it's the last chance to get away for a summer vacation before school and work bring us back to reality. But with record domestic travel expected for the upcoming holiday weekend, drivers will need to pack some extra patience to avoid one of the scariest dangers on America's highways: Road Rage.
New research commissioned by Nextbase1 – the world's leading dash cam brand – reveals that 79% of U.S. drivers have personally experienced aggressive driving or road rage. The survey also indicates that more than a third (34%) of these drivers encounter such incidents multiple times each month or even more frequently.
The emotional toll on those targeted by road rage is significant. Survey respondents identified road rage as second only to distracted driving in ranking the greatest on-road dangers. Meanwhile, nearly half of the survey respondents reported feeling nervous (45%) or angry (44%), while others described feeling terrified (34%) or furious (26%) when faced with this aggression.
"As Labor Day approaches—a time when millions of Americans take to the roads for holiday travel—road rage becomes an even more pressing issue," said Bryn Brooker, Head of Road Safety for Nextbase. "Increased traffic, longer drives, and heightened stress levels make drivers more susceptible to aggression and innocent families more vulnerable. A dash cam serves as an independent witness to events, but it can also be a deterrent to a would-be aggressor when they realize their actions are being recorded."
Sergeant Chris Palaganas, a 16-year veteran law enforcement officer, offers this expert advice for surviving road rage:
- Don't get out of your car: "You never know what the other person's state of mind is, and you have no idea if they are armed and/or violent. Instead, stay in your car, assess the situation and call authorities if necessary."
- Move to a safe location: "If you feel you're in danger, drive to a well-lit, well-populated area, like a police station or fire station."
- Be a good witness: "Have a reliable dash cam rolling, capturing high-quality footage, and provide clear verbal commentary to document everything."
- De-escalate the situation: "If approached by an aggressor, point to the dash cam and make it clear – calmly, without adding fuel to their fire – that they are being recorded."
- Remember what's important: "Take a breath and ask yourself what is your number one priority in this situation. It should be getting to your destination alive."
ABOUT NEXTBASE DASH CAMS: Nextbase is a world-class innovator of automotive-based imagery technology with hundreds of patents and design protections to its name. Having created the consumer dash cam category and dominated markets in the UK, Europe, Australia, New Zealand and North America . With its multi-award-winning product range, UK-based Nextbase is now expanding into Asia. With the recent launch of the AI-powered, IOT-connected Nextbase iQ – the world's first truly smart, fully connected dash cam and the world's only aftermarket connected car platform – Nextbase is transcending the category it created. Nextbase has successfully integrated both market-leading software and data services into its millions of dash cams on the road, positioning itself as a leading imagery provider to the mapping, autonomous-vehicle and digital-infrastructure industries. Nextbase customers include: Best Buy, Amazon, Walmart, Halfords, Autobacs, Toyota, VW Group, Uber, Grubhub/Hungry House. To learn more, visit www.Nextbase.com/en-us/ and follow along on Instagram at @Nextbase.
1Source: Survey of 2000 U.S. drivers commissioned by Nextbase and conducted by Drive Research in the Summer of 2024
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