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May 15, 2007 9:06 pm US/Eastern
Boston Moves Closer To Top In Road Rage Survey
BOSTON (WBZ) ―
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A massive traffic backup Monday on the Massachusetts Turnpike in Boston.
WBZ
Boston drivers have a bad reputation - and it appears to be getting worse.
In a new nationwide survey on road rage, Boston ranks third among cities with the rudest drivers, up from fifth last year.
For the second consecutive year, rude Miami drivers have earned the title of worst road rage in the survey released Tuesday. New York was second.
According to the AutoVantage survey, Boston drivers ranked first (tied with Los Angeles) for slamming into the back end of another driver's vehicle as a reaction to rude or aggressive driving.
Researchers also say Boston drivers are most likely (48 percent) to say they curse at other drivers on the road.
The most courteous drivers can be found in Portland, Ore.; Pittsburgh; the Seattle-Tacoma area; St. Louis; and Dallas-Fort Worth, the survey found.
Portland drivers were the least likely on the list to see other motorists tailgating on the roadways, and St. Louis motorists were the least likely to swear at another driver, according to the survey.
Minneapolis-St. Paul was rated the most courteous city in 2006, but it slipped to the middle of the list this year.
The most frequent cause of road rage cited in the survey was impatient motorists. Drivers also said road rage can stem from poor driving in fast lanes and driving while stressed, frustrated or angry.
"The best piece of advice is to take a deep breath. Slow down, be aware and be careful," AutoVantage spokesman Todd Smith said, adding the aim of the survey is to increase driver safety across the nation.
More than 2,500 drivers who regularly commute in 25 major metropolitan areas were asked to rate road rage and rude driving in telephone surveys between January and March. The survey was conducted by Prince Market Research has a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
AutoVantage is a Connecticut-based automobile membership club offering travel services and roadside assistance.
The complete list:
1. Miami
2. New York
3. Boston
4. Los Angeles
5. Washington, D.C.
6. Phoenix
7. Chicago
8. Sacramento, Calif.
9. Philadelphia
10. San Francisco
11. Houston
12. Atlanta
13. Detroit
14. Minneapolis-St. Paul
15. Baltimore
16. Tampa, Fla.
17. San Diego
18. Cincinnati
19. Cleveland
20. Denver
21. Dallas-Ft. Worth
22. St. Louis
23. Seattle-Tacoma
24. Pittsburgh
25. Portland, Ore.
Source: AutoVantage's "In the Driver's Seat Road Rage Survey"
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
