More than a third of drivers admitted to speeding and one in 10 admitted to going through red lights, in a survey of motoring behaviour published yesterday. Joe Humphreys reports.
The Millward Brown IMS study found that motorists in Leinster counties outside of Dublin admitted to the worst driving habits, with 15 per cent admitting to breaking red lights and 47 per cent admitting to speeding in the past 12 months.
As far as perceptions were concerned, however, drivers in the capital claimed to have experienced more "road rage" incidents than anyone else. Some 63 per cent of Dublin drivers said they experienced another motorists driving behind them aggressively - or "tailgating" in the past year, compared to a national average of 58 per cent.
Some 70 per cent of Dublin drivers claimed to have had lights flashed at them in anger, compared to 62 per cent nationally. Half of Dublin drivers said they had experienced another motorist making aggressive gestures towards them, compared to a national average of 36 per cent.
Marginally more men than women experienced this type of behaviour in the Republic as a whole (39 per cent versus 34 per cent).
In addition, more men than women admitted to both speeding (42 per cent versus 32 per cent) and breaking red lights (12 per cent versus 7 per cent).
A total of 670 people were interviewed for the survey, which was commissioned by AXA insurance.
While respondents were quick to accuse other drivers of aggressive behaviour on the road they were less likely to admit such activity themselves.
Only 12 per cent of motorists said they had "tailgated" another driver, and only 13 per cent owned up to making aggressive gestures at other motorists while driving.
Almost half (48 per cent) of respondents did admit to blowing their horn at other motorists, however, while 39 per cent told of flashing their lights in anger.
Mr Dermot Devlin, marketing manager of AXA, said: "It's frightening that motorists are openly admitting to this behaviour, despite the introduction and supposed enforcement of penalty points. Drivers are continually driving too fast and we have to question if there is enough enforcement and if the effect of penalty points has worn off.
"Motorists are not taking enough care and some are getting stressed and more aggressive due to the behaviour of other motorists."