Road Rage: Assessment and Treatment of the Angry, Aggressive Driver

Book Synopsis: In recent years, reports of "road rage," where aggressive or angry drivers exhibit dangerous behavior toward others on the road, have frequently made newspaper headlines. Extensive descriptive and experimental research studies have supported a reliable association between aggressive driving and increased risk of motor vehicle accidents. To the extent that aggressive driving increases this risk, it continues to pose a serious threat to public health. But what are the psychological mechanisms underlying such behavior? In this book, the authors explore this widespread but understudied phenomenon, including the etiology of driving anger and how it relates to more general findings on the inter-relations of anger, hostility, and aggression. Road Rage provides a detailed and integrative summary of the existing literature on aggressive driving as well as detailed assessment information on the aggressive drivers from a variety of perspectives—standardized psychological tests, psychiatric diagnoses, and psychophysiological measurement, among others. The authors also present comprehensive, step-by-step instruction on implementing successful and concise cognitive–behavioral treatment for angry, aggressive drivers. Clinical hints and vignettes are included to aid readers in implementing the treatment program, which has been successfully evaluated with both court and self-referred individuals who acknowledge their hostile and perilous driving habits. This is one of the first books to examine the psychology of road rage, and clinicians and researchers alike will be rewarded with an increased understanding of the magnitude and treatment of this societal problem.