Driving-induced stress in urban college students.
Urban college student commuters (N = 407) were surveyed about their experiences with stress induced by driving. Of the participants 23.6% reported becoming angry at another driver more than once per day. They rated stress from other drivers as equal to the stress experienced during a college examination but gave slightly lower ratings to traffic congestion, road construction, and finding a parking place as sources of stress. Slow drivers, a child not restrained, and a vehicle following too closely were the highest rated annoying situations. Of participants, 21.6% had reported another driver to the police; nearly 22% said they carried a weapon for protection from other drivers (5.4% said a gun). Men were more than twice as likely as women to carry a weapon and three times as likely to carry a gun. Of the total sample, 19.1% feared being shot by another driver. Most participants (75.8%) said drivers were more aggressive and dangerous than they were five years ago.
Rasmussen
C
C
Department of Psychology, University of Nevada, Las Vegas 89154-5030, USA. crasmusse@ccmail.nevada.edu
Knapp
T J
TJ
Garner
L
L
D001334:Automobile Driving / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005389:Firearms / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012924:Social Conditions; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000209:etiology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D014495:Universities; D014505:Urban Population