60-second summary
Here’s our rundown on road rage and its potential consequences:
69% of drivers experience road rage.
Common signs include speeding, sudden braking, tailgating and aggressive horn use.
The most common causes include lack of indication, tailgating and cutting people off.
You have no control over other drivers’ actions – but you can control your response.
Certain road rage behaviours can land you with a fine, penalty points and – in serious cases – even prison. If you’ve been involved in an accident caused by another driver’s road rage, you should be able to claim on your car insurance.
If your aggressive driving caused an accident, your insurance provider likely won’t pay out for any damage to your car.
You’ll probably also see an increase in your car insurance premiums if your road rage caused an accident.
What are the signs of road rage?
Road rage is common. In fact, our data shows that 69% of drivers experience road rage, with one in 10 (12%) admitting it’s a weekly occurrence.
Some common signs of road rage include:
Speeding
Sudden braking
Tailgating, or not giving other drivers enough space
Impatient driving
Shouting and gesturing
Beeping horn or flashing headlights.
If you find yourself sharing the road with someone displaying this kind of behaviour, remain calm and focus on driving as you normally would.
If you feel anxious, pull over where it’s safe to do so or change your route to avoid them.
Likewise, if you start to feel like you’re losing your cool and driving recklessly, find a safe place to stop and calm down.
By recognising the signs of road rage – in other drivers or yourself – you may be able to stop the situation from escalating.
What are the most common causes of road rage?
Our research found that the most common causes of road rage were:
Lack of indication (27%)
Tailgating (27%)
Cutting people off (22%)
Slow driving (17%)
Merging at last minute (16%).
Why is road rage dangerous?
The consequences of road rage can be serious. Aside from angry exchanges of words, it can lead to:
Accidents. Getting distracted by another driver’s actions or your own anger can lead to mistakes and accidents.
Physical confrontation. It’s not unheard of for drivers to get out of their vehicles and engage in a physical altercation.
Health issues. The stress caused by road rage can raise blood pressure levels.
Can I claim for road rage accidents on my car insurance?
That depends. If you’re a victim of an accident caused by another motorist’s road rage, then you’ll most likely be covered.
There are various scenarios:
If you have comprehensive cover, your insurance provider could pay for damage to the vehicle.
If the other driver has insurance, their insurance provider would normally cover damage to your car, and injury to you and your passenger.
If the other driver isn’t insured, you may be able to make a claim through the Motor Insurers’ Bureau (MIB). This was set up to compensate victims of accidents caused by drivers who aren’t insured or leave the scene of an accident.
If your road rage led to an accident, your insurance provider is obliged to pay any third-party property or injury claims. But they are unlikely to pay for any damage to your car.
Any road rage accidents you cause may also bump up your car insurance premiums in the future.
Depending on how serious the incident is, it could also lead to points on your licence, a driving ban or even a criminal conviction. These penalties will all contribute towards higher insurance premiums, too.
Is road rage illegal?
There’s no specific criminal offence of road rage. But if your road rage causes you to drive carelessly or dangerously and it causes a collision, you could be prosecuted for careless or dangerous driving.
But it’s not just road rage collisions that could land you in trouble with the law:
Using your horn aggressively could get you an instant £30 Fixed Penalty Notice – rising to £1,000 if the FNP isn’t settled within 30 days.
Tailgating another driver could cost you a £100 fine and three penalty points.
If you weren’t aware that these offences could carry a penalty, you wouldn’t be alone. Our research shows that:
76% didn’t know that horn honking could get them fined
48% didn’t realise that tailgating was a punishable act.
How to deal with road rage
You can’t control what other people are going to do on the road. But you can keep check of your own behaviour.
Here are a few things you can do to avoid getting flustered behind the wheel:
Try to stay calm – The stress of road rage incidents can cause accidents. Take deep breaths and pull over in a safe spot if you need to.
Make sure you’re well enough to drive – As well as impairing your driving ability, feeling tired can make you more irritable on the road.
Improve your concentration – Improve your ability to react to other drivers by reducing in-car distractions. This may make you less likely to get wound up.
Wait before reacting – It’s easy to do or say things without thinking them through. Take a deep breath and assess the situation before reacting.
Let it go – All road users make mistakes. So try to give others the benefit of the doubt, and let it go.
Ignore any pressure – For example, if another driver is tailgating you, just allow them to pass when it’s safe. Don’t respond to pressure by speeding up.
Acknowledge mistakes – Sometimes it’s just easier to apologise and move on. If you get into a confrontation, an apology may placate the other driver and prevent an escalation.
Understand the Highway Code – Be aware of the ‘hierarchy of road users’ set out in the Highway Code, and how it affects you. It helps to appreciate that other road users are particularly at risk from bad driving behaviours.
Should I report aggressive drivers?
Yes. If you’ve been victimised or assaulted by another driver, you should report it to the police.
And if you see someone driving in a way that could endanger pedestrians or other drivers, you should also report them.
Depending on the severity of the incident – and with enough evidence – the police may be able to arrest the motorist.
Here’s what to do:
Call the police – If it’s an emergency, dial 999. If not, call 101.
Include as much detail as possible – You may have dash cam or CCTV footage, or there may be witnesses who can give a statement.
Get a crime reference number – You might need this if you were involved in a road-rage related accident and need to claim on your insurance.
Don’t retaliate – If you’re the victim of road rage, don’t risk escalating the situation by retaliating or confronting the driver. Stay calm and controlled.
Be aware that it’s very hard to prosecute an aggressive driver without enough evidence. So, unless you have footage or witnesses, the police may not be able to do much.
How do I claim on my insurance if I’m involved in an accident with an aggressive driver?
If you’ve been involved in an accident caused by another driver’s road rage, you should be able to make a claim on your car insurance.
In order to make a claim, you need:
Your personal details
Your policy number
Your car registration number
A description of the damage or loss
The other driver’s details, if you’ve been in an accident.
If the driver fled the scene or is uninsured, try to record as much other detail as you can.
You’d also need a crime reference number if you’re claiming for theft, attempted theft or malicious damage.
The Highway Code and behaviour on the road
The Highway Code sets out a hierarchy of road users.
This states which road users are most at risk in a collision. Pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders are at the top of the hierarchy.
Likewise, road users who could cause the most damage in a collision, such as lorries, passenger vehicles, vans, minibuses, cars and motorbikes, have greater responsibility to drive with care.
Drivers must now give vulnerable road users the right of way – for example, motorists must now give way to pedestrians at junctions.
The Highway Code exists to keep everyone safe. Drivers who abuse the rules – for example, by acting out because of road rage – can be fined and receive penalty points.
In serious cases, they could even be banned from driving or sent to prison.
Julie is passionate about delivering a great customer experience and rewarding people for saving on their insurance through our loyalty and rewards programme. She’s spoken to the media, including outlets like Sky News, about car and home insurance, as well as our Meerkat rewards scheme.
Our content is written by a Compare the Market expert, backed by data and enhanced by AI. Find out how we ensure accuracy and quality in our Editorial Guidelines.
