Drivers Say This Is the Worst Behavior on the Road Today

There is no shortage of behaviors that make today’s drivers bonkers. But a few ugly habits of the road are especially likely to send folks into a tizzy.

Recently, insurance aggregator The Zebra surveyed 2,388 drivers and asked them to list their top frustrations. On the positive side, drivers report less frustration and fewer incidents of aggressive behavior now than they did two years ago, when The Zebra last surveyed them about this topic.

Despite that improvement, vehicle owners still listed the following bad behaviors as being among their top sources of annoyance when they drive.

1. Cutting people off

Survey respondents who said this is the most irksome thing other drivers do: 52%

Watching someone cut in front of your car can quickly turn you from a mild-mannered Dr. Jekyll into a road-rage-fueled Mr. Hyde.

We’ve all been there. The next time a rude driver sends your blood pressure soaring, remember what you learned when reading “This Simple Action May Boost Joy and Cut Stress in 5 Minutes.”

2. Tailgating

Survey respondents who said this is the most irksome thing other drivers do: 49%

There is something distinctly unnerving about having someone crawl right up behind your vehicle and stay there. When this happens, you are hyperaware that a mere tap of your brakes could leave you the victim of a rear-end collision.

3. Driving distracted

Survey respondents who said this is the most irksome thing other drivers do: 46%

The rise of cellphones in our culture has created an epidemic of distracted driving. A total of 3,522 people were killed in the U.S. due to distracted driving during 2021, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Other frustrations on the road

Additional frustrating behaviors that survey respondents mentioned were:

• Not using turn signals: 42%
• Driving slow: 40%

Additionally, 36% of drivers cited traffic jams as a top frustration.