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Road Rage Common Among Commuters

October 4, 2006

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If yelling, horn-honking and creative hand gestures are a regular part of your commute, you're not alone.

Fifty-nine percent of workers surveyed by CareerBuilder.com admit to experiencing road rage while traveling to and from work. One-in-ten report they usually or always experience road rage during their commute. The survey, completed in June 2006, included more than 2,200 workers nationwide.

Nearly 85 percent of workers say their primary means of traveling to and from work is driving, so it's no surprise that incidents of road rage climbed with the length of the commute.

However, 30 percent of workers with commutes of less than five minutes still say they experience road rage on occasion. The same goes for 42 percent of workers with commutes of less than 10 minutes.

Women were slightly more likely to feel road rage than men. Sixty percent of women reported road rage, compared with 57 percent of men.

"A frustrating commute can set a negative tone for the day, sometimes impacting productivity and employee or client relations," said Rosemary Haefner, Vice President of Human Resources at CareerBuilder.com.

"One-in-five workers say they would take a job with a pay cut in exchange for a shorter distance between their home and their workplace. While a new job may be the answer for some, the key to a manageable commute is planning ahead and finding a way to relax," she added.

Haefner offers the following tips for a calm and enjoyable commute:

• Lose the lead foot -- Lost tempers and traffic weaving are often signs of running late. Leave a few minutes early to give yourself extra time in case you come across heavy traffic, bad weather, train crossings and other morning disasters.

• It's nothing personal -- Remember, the other drivers aren't out to get you. People who hit the brakes without apparent reason, drive well below the speed limit, daydream, sit still while other cars are moving, etc. are usually just bad drivers.

• Early to bed -- Yawning drivers tend to get more agitated behind the wheel. Try to work in a good night's sleep and healthy breakfast, so you can go to work feeling refreshed and ready to take on rush hour.

• Easy listening -- Seventy-two percent of workers say they listen to music to pass the time in transit. Soothing music or books on tape can help you to relax during bumper-to-bumper delays.

• Breathe -- The next time you want to emphatically inform a fellow commuter of how he/she drives, take a few deep breaths instead. It can help you keep centered and control stress levels.

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