Canadians are witnessing more aggressive behaviour by angry drivers, according to a recent survey on road rage.
A Leger survey conducted on behalf of Rates.ca shows that 83% of Canadian drivers have witnessed road rage incidents in the last year alone. That number is up by 5% compared to 2022.
But even as the rate increases, not everyone’s willing to fess up: only 56% of drivers who participated in the survey admitted to being involved in a form of road rage this past year. For example, 20% of participants said they’ve seen people getting out of their vehicles to confront someone, yet only 3% admitted to engaging in that behaviour. In addition, 63% say they’ve seen another driver cut someone else off on the road, but only 15% are willing to come clean.
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“Road rage generally refers to aggressive or violent behaviour exhibited by drivers in response to perceived offences or frustrations while on the road,” states the survey.
Road rage can include honking, flashing lights, brake-checking, tailgating, obscene gestures, cutting off another driver, rolling down the window to yell at someone, or getting out of the vehicle to confront someone.
Why are Canadian drivers so angry?
“The phenomenon of road rage arises from psychological factors, including stress,” said Adrian Guffogg, a UK-based recovery practitioner at addiction recovery centre Acquiesce, in the report.
“Add in external influences such as being unhappy at home or work, struggling to make ends meet financially and being late, and road rage can rear its head surprisingly quickly.”
According to a 2024 road rage survey by Pollara, Alberta and Ontario have the angriest people (55% of participants), followed by BC and Atlantic Canada (54%), Manitoba and Saskatchewan (52%), and Québec (48%).
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Dr. Deborah Gilman, owner and chief licensed psychologist at Fox Chapel Psychological Services in Pennsylvania, said in the report that those prone to road rage struggle with patience and have underlying anger issues — unpredictable drivers and traffic jams can become major triggers.
“People believe they have a special right to be wherever they need to be, faster than anyone else. They see other drivers as obstacles or inconveniences, not as fellow human beings trying to get somewhere. When things don’t go their way (for example, a slow driver in front), they take it as a personal attack,” she says.
“It’s like a personal VIP lane in their mind, but on a public road.”