Road rage statistics Australia

What is road rage?

Australians might have a reputation as a laid-back, happy-go-lucky bunch – always keen to have a laugh first, worry about the rest later – but this stereotype crashes and burns when it comes to driving.

The term itself originated in America in the late 1980s. At its mildest, it's a beep of the horn or a mildly offensive hand gesture. At its worst, it can lead to physical injuries and in some extreme cases, death.

A 2024 Finder survey has found that 74% of us have experienced road rage. 57% of the 1,056 people we surveyed have been tailgated by another driver and 50% of people had another driver beep their horn at them.

Types of road rage

These are the most common types of road rage Australians told us they've experienced.

• Bar graph
• Table

Who is most prone to road rage?

Gender

Males are the most prone to road rage, according to a Budget Direct survey. Who would have guessed it? Answer: anyone who's ever driven a car.

48.36% of men admitted to having been involved in a road rage incident, compared to 46.75% of females.

The survey also found 48% of males admitted they've shouted, cursed or made rude gestures towards other people on the road. Only 44% of females admitted to any of these types of road rage.

Age

25-34 year olds were the most likely (52.4%) age group to be involved in a road rage incident. They were also the most likely to have been the perpetrators of road rage.

However, it was 55-64 year olds aka boomers, who were the most likely (56%) to have shouted, cursed or made rude gestures towards other people on the road.

Which state has the worst road rage?

Victorians are the most raging group of drivers in Australia. Nearly 55% of drivers in the state told Budget Direct they'd been involved in a road rage incident.

Western Australians seem to be the most relaxed. Over 59% of people surveyed said they'd never been involved in a road rage incident.

Dangerous driving and car insurance

Even though it's super common, driving is often the most dangerous thing most of us will ever do.

Multiple studies have shown that driving angry makes you more likely to crash and is a contributing factor in road deaths every year (2023 was the deadliest year on Australia's roads in more than half a decade).

While road rage isn't illegal in itself, dangerous driving is. This can include speeding, burnouts, tailgating, menacing driving and street racing.

If you're fined for unsafe driving or criminal activity that gets you into an accident, your car insurer won't cover you.

The insurer is also likely to increase your premiums substantially if you're fined because you'll be considered a risky driver.

However, if you're involved in an accident that wasn't your fault, for example, if you're hit from behind by a tailgater, they'll typically be considered to blame and your car insurance should cover you.

Written by

Gary Ross Hunter

Editor, Insurance & Innovations

Gary Ross Hunter was an editor at Finder, specialising in insurance. He’s been writing about life, travel, home, car, pet and health insurance for over 6 years and regularly appears as an insurance expert in publications including The Sydney Morning Herald, The Guardian and news.com.au. Gary holds a Kaplan Tier 2 General Advice General Insurance certification which meets the requirements of ASIC Regulatory Guide 146 (RG146). See full bio

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