9 Zone Chart

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What Drivers Complain About
Arranged by Feelings, Thoughts, and Acts

Dr. Leon James
2000

This CHART shows what drivers complain about when asked to list the driver behaviors that made them aggressive. These answers were typed by respondents who filled out DrDriving's Road Rage Survey. The question was:

Question 6-2:
List the aggressive behaviors of other drivers that you object to the most.

I analyzed the available answers using DrDriving’s Inventory of the Nine Zones of Your Driving Personality. The resulting categorization is given in the CHART below. These preliminary results reveal some of the driver psychology -- how drivers think -- that we need to understand in order to regain control over ourselves as aggressive drivers. It is likely that you have similar complaints about other drivers, hence you too need to look at your thinking as a driver to become aware of them and thus to gain control over them. This will protect you and your passengers from stress and injury. You will also be contributing to the general road peace and public safety. Driving complaints and the thinking that goes with it not only increase our stress and risk, but also disrupts the forces of community that we feel as a group. Learning to better manage our traffic emotions is therefore self-protective, altruistic, patriotic -- all at the same time.

The right hand column represents the current available results for the Road Rage Survey. These will be statistically analyzed in the next updating of this CHART. This column identifies the root causes of aggressive driving and pinpoints the behavioral areas we need to concentrate on for self-modification efforts as lifelong learners. (The Top Five Worst Summary Table below).

ZONE	LABEL	DESCRIPTION OF BEHAVIOR	COMPLAINT RANKING NATIONAL SAMPLE 1=most complained about 9=least
1 AFFECTIVE SAFETY	Negative Driving Attitude	reckless driving	3
1 AFFECTIVE SAFETY	Negative Driving Attitude	disobeying traffic laws	3
1 AFFECTIVE SAFETY	Negative Driving Attitude	Parking illegally (double park, park in handicap zone) (3 entries)	3
1 AFFECTIVE SAFETY	Negative Driving Attitude	driving on your side of the road	3
1 AFFECTIVE SAFETY	Negative Driving Attitude	failure to yield (4 entries)	3
1 AFFECTIVE SAFETY	Negative Driving Attitude	going through red lights (11 entries)	3
1 AFFECTIVE SAFETY	Negative Driving Attitude	not stopping at stop signs	3
1 AFFECTIVE SAFETY	Negative Driving Attitude	passing illegally (on a double yellow line, or a stopped school bus) (2 entries)	3
1 AFFECTIVE SAFETY	Negative Driving Attitude	turning without signaling (18 entries)	3
2 COGNITIVE SAFETY	Not Being Safety Literate	passing dangerously or too close (3 entries)	8
2 COGNITIVE SAFETY	Not Being Safety Literate	not yielding to merging traffic (3 entries)	8
3 SENSORY-MOTOR SAFETY	Alertness and Correct Action	people who don't know how to drive through four-way stop	5
3 SENSORY-MOTOR SAFETY	Alertness and Correct Action	Driving too slow (including making a near stop when turning) (3 entries)	5
3 SENSORY-MOTOR SAFETY	Alertness and Correct Action	putting on the turn signal way too early.	5
3 SENSORY-MOTOR SAFETY	Alertness and Correct Action	slowing down then speeding up then slowing down then speeding up	5
3 SENSORY-MOTOR SAFETY	Alertness and Correct Action	talking on cell phone when traffic is congested (4 entries)	5
3 SENSORY-MOTOR SAFETY	Alertness and Correct Action	following too close (8 entries)	5
3 SENSORY-MOTOR SAFETY	Alertness and Correct Action	leaving bright lights on (2 entries)	5
3 SENSORY-MOTOR SAFETY	Alertness and Correct Action	not concentrating on what is occurring on the road or not paying attention (4 entries)	5
3 SENSORY-MOTOR SAFETY	Alertness and Correct Action	preoccupied	5
4 AFFECTIVE SELF-CONTROL	Rudeness and Unfairness	being rude	6
4 AFFECTIVE SELF-CONTROL	Rudeness and Unfairness	jamming in front rather than waiting in line	6
4 AFFECTIVE SELF-CONTROL	Rudeness and Unfairness	jockeying for position at the red light.	6
4 AFFECTIVE SELF-CONTROL	Rudeness and Unfairness	never giving any one a break (not being considerate) (2 entries)	6
4 AFFECTIVE SELF-CONTROL	Rudeness and Unfairness	obscene gestures (insults) (6 entries)	6
4 AFFECTIVE SELF-CONTROL	Rudeness and Unfairness	being rude to walkers who have the right of way (2 entries)	6
4 AFFECTIVE SELF-CONTROL	Rudeness and Unfairness	speeding up to beat the traffic light	6
4 AFFECTIVE SELF-CONTROL	Rudeness and Unfairness	speeding up when one is trying to change lanes so that you have to wait and enter the lane behind them (2 entries)	6
4 AFFECTIVE SELF-CONTROL	Rudeness and Unfairness	thoughtless and in a hurry	6
5 COGNITIVE SELF-CONTROL	Emotional Intelligence	speeding up to close the gap when I try to enter their lane (and I’m signaling) (2 entries)	9
6 SENSORY-MOTOR SELF-CONTROL	Impulsiveness and Unpredictability	aggressive braking or acceleration	1
6 SENSORY-MOTOR SELF-CONTROL	Impulsiveness and Unpredictability	honking (5 entries)	1
6 SENSORY-MOTOR SELF-CONTROL	Impulsiveness and Unpredictability	shining bright lights to retaliate	1
6 SENSORY-MOTOR SELF-CONTROL	Impulsiveness and Unpredictability	slamming on brakes	1
6 SENSORY-MOTOR SELF-CONTROL	Impulsiveness and Unpredictability	wanting to just slam on the brakes when people are tailgating me	1
6 SENSORY-MOTOR SELF-CONTROL	Impulsiveness and Unpredictability	Yelling (cursing, yelling back) (7 entries)	1
6 SENSORY-MOTOR SELF-CONTROL	Impulsiveness and Unpredictability	going too fast (speeding, etc.) (13 entries)	1
6 SENSORY-MOTOR SELF-CONTROL	Impulsiveness and Unpredictability	lane changing in a reckless manner without signaling or erratically or weaving through traffic or switching lanes continuously trying to get to the front) (23 entries)	1
6 SENSORY-MOTOR SELF-CONTROL	Impulsiveness and Unpredictability	passing on the right shoulder when a car is turning left (4 entries)	1
6 SENSORY-MOTOR SELF-CONTROL	Impulsiveness and Unpredictability	want to get somewhere fast, rushing, being impatient (6 entries)	1
7 AFFECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY	Egotistical Character	general disregard for anyone else on the road (including not yielding to pedestrians) (3 entries)	7
7 AFFECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY	Egotistical Character	gestures intended to insult the other driver (2 entries)	7
7 AFFECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY	Egotistical Character	not allowing me to change lanes (3 entries)	7
7 AFFECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY	Egotistical Character	stereo too loud	7
8 COGNITIVE RESPONSIBILITY	Negative Fantasies	going slow in the fast lane (or hogging) (11 entries)	2
8 COGNITIVE RESPONSIBILITY	Negative Fantasies	trying to run over me	2
8 COGNITIVE RESPONSIBILITY	Negative Fantasies	Racing on the freeway	2
8 COGNITIVE RESPONSIBILITY	Negative Fantasies	Miscellaneous (police going too slow to annoy us)	2
8 COGNITIVE RESPONSIBILITY	Negative Fantasies	Tailgating (30 entries)	2
8 COGNITIVE RESPONSIBILITY	Negative Fantasies	not merging when lanes are closed until last possible second (2 entries)	4
9 SENSORY-MOTOR RESPONSIBILITY	Hostile Driving Style	blocking (driveways, turns, street, entrance ramp, merge lanes) (6 entries)	4
9 SENSORY-MOTOR RESPONSIBILITY	Hostile Driving Style	cutting into you lane then slowing down (cutting off or cutting too close or cutting in then slowing down) (30 entries)	4

SUMMARY CHART OF COMPLAINTS

The Top Worst Five Driver Characteristics
That Drivers Complain About

1. Top Worst	zone 6 SENSORY-MOTOR SELF-CONTROL	Impulsiveness and Unpredictability
2. Top Second Worst	zone 8 COGNITIVE RESPONSIBILITY	Negative Fantasies
3. Top Third Worst	zone 1 AFFECTIVE SAFETY	Negative Driving Attitude
4. Top Fourth Worst	zone 9 SENSORY-MOTOR RESPONSIBILITY	Hostile Driving Style
5. Top Fifth Worst	zone 3 SENSORY-MOTOR SAFETY	Alertness and Correct Action

See the CHART of the Nine Zones of Your Driving Behavior explained and linked

Some Official Characteristics of Aggressive Drivers

Information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

Express frustration	Drivers climb into the anonymity of an automobile and take out their frustrations on anybody at any time. Their emotions are high and the concern for fellow motorists is low.
Lack attention to driving	Distractions from driving are a major cause of roadway crashes. Motorists are often seen eating, drinking, and primping as they drive. Some drivers make their vehicles a "home away from home" with fax machines and laptop computers.
Tailgate	Tailgating creates a serious hazard. It is a major cause of crashes that can result in serious injuries.
Make frequent, unnecessary lane changes	Drivers who whip in and out of lanes merely to advance one car length ahead are a danger to other motorists.
Rubberneck	Slowing down to look at an incident is a natural human reaction, but this behavior slows traffic, causes congestion, and may lead to another car crash.
Run red lights	Disregarding traffic controls is a leading cause of urban crashes.
Speed	Going faster than the posted speed limit, being a "road racer," going too fast for conditions, and weaving in and out of traffic are some examples of speeding.

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Home> Surveys> 9 Zones Chart of Complaints

What Drivers Complain About Arranged by Feelings, Thoughts, and Acts

The Top Worst Five Driver Characteristics That Drivers Complain About

See the CHART of the Nine Zones of Your Driving Behavior explained and linked

What Drivers Complain About
Arranged by Feelings, Thoughts, and Acts

The Top Worst Five Driver Characteristics
That Drivers Complain About