Road rage behaviour and experiences of taxi drivers in Islamabad and Rawalpindi, Pakistan.

harm by either a driver or passenger of one vehicle directed against the occupants of another vehicle or pedestrians entail road rage and could potentially lead to involvement in collisions, injuries, and death.1-3 Road rage has also been associated with psychiatric illnesses in both the victims and the perpetrators.4 A previous study reported that the most common type of road rage experience of bus drivers was someone in another vehicle making rude gestures at them; reported by 156 (88.6%) of bus drivers in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi in Pakistan.3While another study reported 30% of university students having experienced being shouted, cursed or made rude gestures at while riding a vehicle, in the past three months; among a sample of 532 students.2 A cross-sectional survey with convenience sampling was conducted among taxi drivers in Islamabad and Rawalpindi at various frequently visited areas, popular destinations, and designated taxi stands; to understand their behaviour and experiences pertaining to road rage and its relationship to years of having driven taxi, from July to November 2008. An interviewer-administered, pre-tested, structured questionnaire with close-ended questions was used. Taxi drivers who had been driving for at least one year were interviewed by a trained interviewer, after obtaining verbal consent and ensuring confidentiality. Results were analyzed using STATA version 9, applying chi-square test.