If it feels like every driver on the highway has lost their cool, you’re not imagining it. A new AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety study shows that 96% of drivers admitted to aggressive driving in the past year. For RVers, this surge in road rage while RVing can turn every trip into a tense experience, especially on busy highways where large rigs have slower acceleration.
That aggressive behavior isn’t just frustrating — it’s contagious. Drivers who experience hostility on the road are more likely to act aggressively themselves. Surviving aggressive drivers in an RV means staying alert and planning for patience, especially when others speed, tailgate, or cut vehicles off.
“Driving can be a stressful experience due to behaviors of others on the road and how you respond to various situations,” said Dr. David Yang, president and executive director of the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. “Our study finds that experiencing various forms of aggressive driving behaviors is common for almost all motorists and many drive aggressively.”
Statistics show road rage while RVing can affect you
The report showed 92% of drivers admitted to risky behaviors, often to save time or escape perceived danger. Even more concerning, 11% admitted to violent actions like intentionally bumping another car or confronting another driver. Since 2016, cutting off other vehicles is up 67% and honking in anger is up 47%, though tailgating and yelling have declined.
The type of vehicle you drive can influence behavior and perception. Sports cars, big trucks, and motorcycles are often seen as more aggressive. For RVers, this can make navigating crowded highways more challenging. AAA suggests safe RV driving on busy roads involves anticipating these behaviors and giving space whenever possible.
Use courtesy to defuse road rage before it starts
Road etiquette is a powerful tool for reducing tension. Simple courtesies like signaling lane changes, letting others merge, and offering a friendly wave can help calm the environment. “This work also concludes that road etiquette and manners can be a protective factor against aggressive driving,” Yang said. “Let’s change our driving culture so we can achieve the safe mobility vision for all road users.”
Dr. Jose Torres, AAA traffic safety advocacy and research manager, emphasized, “Having good manners behind the wheel isn’t just about being polite. It’s about ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone on the road.”
AAA’s tips for facing aggressive drivers
- Stay calm – Don’t make eye contact, gestures, or respond.
- Give space – Let them pass and back off.
- Protect yourself – Call 911 or head for a public spot. Never drive home.
Tips to control your own road rage
- Breathe before you react – One deep breath can reset your mood.
- Don’t take the bait – Ignore aggressive drivers.
- Choose time over tension – Leave early, give space, and arrive safe.
By practicing how to avoid road rage in your RV and using RV driving tips for calm highways, you can prevent road rage while traveling by RV and ensure stress-free RV driving. Patience and courtesy make the road safer for everyone, including those sharing it with your home on wheels.
Sources include: AAA
RELATED
- DUI: Some marijuana users’ attitudes toward safety may put you in danger
- Are more drivers ignoring traffic laws?
- New, updated driving laws going into effect in 2025
RVT1228b
We had an incident last year heading to Florida pulling our TT. We were in the center lane on a 3 lane highway going the speed limit.There were trucks in the right lane going slower because of a slight uphill rise.
I could see a pickup in my rear view camera no more than15 feet behind me jockeying back and forth.
He eventually passed me got in front and then started to brake check. I backed off and he slowed and did it a few more times. He then hit his brakes and slowed to about 25mph before puling out like a bat of of ‘heck‘.
Little did he know that my dash cam was catching the entire incident, or perhaps he saw it.
On 2 lane roads, pull over where safe when you have more than 3 cars behind you.
Have said this many times – the Transportation Dept needs to restore civility and safety to the roads and enforcing tailgating, speeding and reckless driving laws is a good start. People need to realize that driving is a privilege not a right and not everyone should be driving.
I agree! Enforcement is nearly non-existent, even when they see it! With all the excessive speeding and aggressive driving going on one would think you’d see a constant stream of tickets being written on drivers pulled over along the road shoulders, but it is rare to see someone pulled over.
Recently drove from Chicago area to the Grand Canyon. The lack of police patrolling the interstates was unbelievable. The lack of enforcement is just an invitation to drive reckless.
My dear dead dad had a comment for egregiously road raging drivers. “Drive on, fool. Hell’s only half full.”
In our 1600+ mile semi-annual N<>S migration, we travel less than 40 miles on ‘Eye dash hell’ roadways, and that much as there is no practical alternative; and are much better off for the lack of the experience. Sitting in the right lane and being cut off 1/8 of a mile before an exit is one thing. Having semis blow past you to your left because our tires are speed rated for 65mph and they want to do 75mph is downright frightening as you are 1st pushed right by the bow wave then almost immediately sucked left by the vacuum.
In many cases the US and State highway system parallels the Interstate highways. So what if we have to occasionally slow down to pass through a small rural town?
AAA needs to spend more time improving their services than surveys like this.
%#@%&*%#$#@
Happy trails 😎 ✌️
😱