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The Aggressive Driver And His Bumper Stickers

Driving is one of the most enjoyable experiences of modern life , and sometimes, aggressive drivers ruin it for the rest of us. Some studies show that aggressive driving might be responsible for up to two-thirds of all U.S. traffic accidents that involve injuries. Thankfully, there’s now a way to spot them… look for bumper stickers.

That’s the conclusion of a recent study by Colorado State University social psychologist William Szlemko. He found that drivers of cars with bumper stickers, window decals, personalized license plates and other “territorial markers” are far more likely to express “road rage” and aggressive behavior than those without the markers. The best part: It doesn’t seem to matter what the message on the sticker is, “Peace and Love” or “Bomb ‘em All”, just the fact that a person has stickers or markers makes road rage more likely.

Szlemko and his colleagues concluded that regular drivers get mad too, they just don’t express it the way drivers with bumper stickers do. They theorize that the key to the whole issue lies in territoriality. “Territoriality is hard-wired into our ancestors from tens of thousands of years ago,” said Paul Bell, a co-author of the study at Colorado State. “Animals are territorial because it had survival value. If you could keep others away from your hunting groups, you had more game to spear . . . it becomes part of the biology.”

That comes into play when aggressive drivers mark their territory by putting bumper stickers or other identifying markers on their car. Then they’re more likely to treat the road their driving on as their own personal space.

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Comments

There are 6 comments battling for the truth! Have your say!

  1. I’ve only got one bumper sticker, and it’s there to cover up the “97.1 Smoooooth Jazz” sticker the car came with.

    Words by Sofar on October 4, 2008 at 7:41 pm | #


  2. I disagree.

    Words by Buzz on November 25, 2008 at 3:20 pm | #


  3. @Buzz-
    I disagree with your disagreement

    Words by Vito Rispo on November 26, 2008 at 10:52 pm | #


  4. @Buzz- I agree

    @Vito- I disagree, I drive like more aggressive than anyone and don’t have any stickers

    Words by Chris on March 12, 2009 at 7:13 pm | #


  5. @Chris & Buzz
    What are you goofballs “disagree”ing with? These are results from a scientific study, not someone’s opinion. I’m not saying “I think people with stickers are more aggressive drivers”… I’m saying “A study has shown that people with stickers on their cars ARE more likely to express aggressive behavior while driving”

    Words by Vito Rispo on March 13, 2009 at 6:58 am | #


  6. i didnt mean to give you the finger, my sticker made me do it

    Words by robert on July 12, 2009 at 7:41 pm | #



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