National Road Rage Survey Ranks Dallas/Fort Worth as 2nd Least Courteous Metro Area in U.S.

Norwalk, Conn., June 16, 2009 – The commute to work can be an unpleasant one for people across the country, but the road seems to be even bumpier for Dallas/Fort Worth drivers.

The fourth annual In the Driver’s Seat Road Rage Survey, commissioned by AutoVantage, a leading national auto club, found that Dallas/Fort Worth is the second least courteous metro area in terms of road rage, compared to 24 other major U.S. cities. That’s a substantial change from last year’s No. 9 ranking.

Contributing to its decline in the survey, Dallas/Fort Worth drivers ranked high for several road rage-inducing behaviors: No. 1 for admitting talking on cell phones behind the wheel every day, No. 1 for confessing to tailgating daily and No. 1 for cutting people off with little or no warning.

For the first time in four years, a new city claims the title as the worst in the U.S. for road rage; New York has unseated Miami as the least courteous. Portland, Ore., ranked as the most courteous city.

The In the Driver’s Seat 2009 AutoVantage Road Rage Survey, released today, was conducted to determine the driving habits and attitudes of commuters across the country and to learn more about consumer views on the topic of road rage.

“At AutoVantage, we’ve made the drive easier every day by completing more than 1 million service calls for our customers, with everything from 24-hour roadside assistance to towing to lockout service and more. This survey is another way we assist drivers by revealing the latest driving trends and attitudes to educate and influence safer—and perhaps more courteous—driving habits,” said Brad Eggleston, vice president of AutoVantage.

Download the entire release (pdf)