How to Handle Aggressive Drivers Without Becoming One

It starts with a glance, a honk, a car edging too close. One flare, then another. Before long, the whole commute feels charged. According to new research from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, that sensation isn’t imagined. It’s viral.

In a nationwide survey of licensed drivers, 96% admitted to at least one aggressive act in the past year—speeding, red-light running, tailgating, honking, or cutting someone off. And the study’s core finding pulls no punches. The report finds that exposure breeds imitation. The more hostility people encounter on the road, the more likely they are to return it and escalate.

“Driving often turns into a high-stress experience, not because others drive recklessly, but because we react in the moment,” said Montrae Waiters, spokeswoman for AAA. “Our researc