- Home
- ACADEMIC
- Psychology
- Analytical Psychology
- A Driving Anger
A Driving Anger The Psychology of Road Rage
Payment for this pre-order will be taken when the item becomes available
You must sign in to add this item to your wishlist. Please sign in or create an account
Description
Why are today's drivers so angry and what can we do about it?
Road rage is hardly new, but its incidence and intensity are rising. On any given day, at least one person in the U.S. is shot or injured in a road rage incident, and just about everyone has a road rage story to tell. A recent study found that 80% of all drivers admit to experiencing significant anger while behind the wheel. Expressions of driving anger can involve verbal threats, stabbings, intentionally ramming into vehicles, following a driver for miles, and, too often lately, lethal shootings.
In A Driving Anger, author Anne O'Dwyer, who has been teaching, researching, and talking with people about road rage for over 20 years, seeks to answer the question: Why do so many people who are otherwise calm, cool, and collected become enraged when behind the wheel?
Drawing from psychological theory, research, and data as she weaves together explorations with personal accounts of driving anger, the author challenges common misconceptions and describes the roots of anger and the primary psychological triggers of road rage. These include feelings of anonymity, biases we tend to hold about strangers, unrealistic expectations of independence on the roadway, misdirected outrage, and being in a rush. She also compares driving anger in both the US and abroad and to related lifestyle anger such as air rage, checkout rage, and sports rage.
Armed with an understanding of the causes and effects of road rage, O'Dwyer concludes with nine concrete strategies and technologies that can help reduce driving anger in ourselves, those we drive with, and other drivers.
Product details

Published | 02 Oct 2025 |
---|---|
Format | Ebook (Epub & Mobi) |
Edition | 1st |
Extent | 296 |
ISBN | 9798881800376 |
Imprint | Bloomsbury Academic |
Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
About the contributors
Reviews
-
We have all felt rage and all been the target of rage. Anne breaks down the why behind this feeling and gives us strategies to process before the rage takes over our better nature. This book isn't just about road rage, it's about understanding ourselves, each other, and reaching that elusive calm.
Dr. Eden-Reneé Hayes, Social Psychologist & CEO, Pluralism Solutions
-
In A Driving Anger, Anne teaches drivers lessons behind their anger while driving and provides tools to prevent road rage by using relatable stories and a captivating analysis of the role social psychology plays in road rage and its prevention. A must-read!
Jeanine Skorkino, Professor of Psychology, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
-
Safety initiatives in traffic engineering often focus on making changes to the built environment to influence driver behavior. Anne's book uncovers the psychology of what causes drivers' road rage, which can often lead to clouded judgment and unsafe roadways. Anne thoughtfully explores 'off-ramps' from road rage-what WE can do to prevent accidents, acknowledge our biases, and create safer roadways for all. A must read for anyone interested in developing a more comprehensive perspective of roadway safety, going beyond the built environment characteristics and into the mind behind the wheel.
Tate Coleman, MRP, MSCE, Senior Transit Planner at South County Connector