Could Love Be Causing Car Accidents?

Car accidents are caused by many factors. Drunk driving, distracted driving, tire defects, product defects in the car’s mechanisms, the weather, and many other factors can lead to a collision. StudyAn Insurance company in the UK has carried out a survey which suggests an unusual cause of car accidents: love. According to the survey, about 2.5 million car collisions in the UK occur due to romantic arguments that fuel road rage.

The StudyAn Insurance company examined the driving habits of 1183 drivers and found that 19% of the drivers drove erratically after an argument with their romantic partners or spouses. Another 36% were unable to concentrate on the road as effectively after a romantic argument. Honey Langcaster-James, a psychologist discussing the survey in the media noted that it can take one hour for emotions to settle down after an intense argument with one’s partner. Obviously, getting behind the wheel during this time can pose dangers.

Of course, currently drivers who are in a car accident are not asked whether they have just had an argument with their partner, so it is difficult to say precisely what percentage of car crashes in the US can be attributable to romance-related road rage. However, driving experts have known for some time that strong emotions and upset can impact driving ability and concentration. Since we tend to invest a lot of emotion into arguments with a romantic partner, it is logical that these arguments would lead to especially intense emotional upset.

If you consider the last time you had a spat with a partner, you probably remember how terrible it felt. Intense upset can make us cry, tremble, and even get physically ill. During a heated argument and during intense emotions, our blood pressure temporarily increases. This can have a significant physical result. Emotional upset can make up hyperventilate and even lose consciousness. It makes it difficult to focus or articulate. It makes us ill in some cases. Obviously, driving in this state can be very dangerous.

In the StudyAn Insurance company survey, one out of 12 drivers surveyed admitted to having a car accident following a lover’s quarrel. One in three admitted to driving off after an argument. The survey found that drivers driving soon after an argument with a loved one were more likely to experience road rage. They were also more likely to speed, cut other motorists off, tailgate, and even steal parking spaces.
Psychologist Langcaster-James notes that drivers who are upset or angry following an emotional outburst – such as the outburst caused by an argument with a loved one – may need to release tension. In some cases, they may subconsciously choose to speed in order to achieve this. She also notes that drivers who are emotionally upset are very distracted and are therefore unable to safely focus on driving.

Client Reviews
★★★★★
Mr. Flaxman is highly skilled and very pleasant to work with. He communicated with me at every step in the process, and clearly presented information relating to my case. To anyone considering retaining his firm, I highly recommend him. Clara Barman
★★★★★
THE BEST. Honest, very knowledgeable, fast and easy. has helped me in numerous situations and has never failed me. Joe Gee
★★★★★
Charlie is a very skilled attorney that advocates hard for his clients. But the best part is he is an all around great guy. He cares about helping and doing what is right for people and his community. And he is not afraid to fight against those who do wrong or against threats to our world. He is fluent in Spanish as well. Do yourself a favor and call him. Andy
★★★★★
I had a lawyer on another case and I never spoke to the lawyer and I hated that I never knew what was going on in my case. Mr. Flaxman was in constant communication with me, explained everything to me, and his staff was really great too. My phone calls were always returned immediately. It was refreshing to be able to speak to my attorney personally. I would HIGHLY recommend Mr. Flaxman as an attorney to anyone who has been in an accident. Gloria
★★★★★
I found Mr. Flaxman to be an excellent attorney for my personal injury case. This is actually the second time I have used him and he really represented my interests. He explained everything thoroughly and he was very available for my questions. Carol
Contact Information