Road rage Qld: Queenslanders labelled worst road ragers in Australia

Queensland has emerged as the road rage capital of Australia, with violence almost commonplace on the state’s roads. WATCH nine of the most explosive incidents caught on camera.

Drivers are more likely to experience road rage on Queensland roads compared to any other place in Australia, new research has revealed.

Roughly two thirds of the Australian population have witnessed or been involved in a road rage incident according to Compare the Market’s latest driver survey, which found the Sunshine State was the number one hotspot for drivers losing their cool.

More than 67 per cent of surveyed Queenslanders said they had witnessed a road rage incident during their lifetime – a figure well above the national average of 62 per cent.

Both Victoria and Western Australia came in close second on the road rage chart, at 66 per cent and 64 per cent respectively, while drivers in New South Wales, Australia’s most populous jurisdiction, showed surprisingly low levels of road rage experience at just 57 per cent.

With more drivers now investing in dashcams, road rage videos have become commonplace on social media.

In January, the Courier-Mail uncovered dramatic footage of an angry driver towing another car out of a boat trailer spot in South Brisbane, after the car parked them in.

Two months ago, a painter fronted court and pleaded guilty to a road rage act involving a machete in Noosaville, while a Sunshine Coast grandmother was last year sentenced over a wild road rage outburst at a shopping centre car park that resulted in $3000 worth of car damage.

A screenshot of an alleged attack on a 48-year-old Clayton’s Towing truck driver. The video was only submitted to Queensland Police, for privacy reasons.

In a video recently posted on the dashcam Owners Australia Facebook page, a black Mazda and white utility were captured in a heated road rage exchange on the Bruce Highway near Nambour with footage showing the ute swerving towards the Mazda before colliding with the highway’s dividing guard rail.

The driver who watched the incident unfold from behind, said the consequences could have been “much worse”, with the two cars passing a stationary vehicle moments before the crash.

During 2021, another man was filmed attacking another driver with a spanner in Ipswich, while last August, a video emerged of a man jumping out of a moving car to confront another driver armed with a Bundaberg Rum bottle and a truckie was snapped punching a Volkswagen driver at an intersection in Brisbane.

CCTV footage allegedly showing Scenic Rim man Will Warren, 20, attacking a 72-year-old's car near Coles Yarrabilba. Picture: QPS

On November 26, 2022, a Queensland car was allegedly caught road rage driving along Deception Bay Rd before being intercepted by an unmarked cop car at a traffic light intersection.

The video gained 72,000 views, with the hatchback filmed ramming its way between the two lanes of cars stopped at the lights.

A Queensland Police Service spokesman said all reports of violence on roads were taken seriously.

“Each incident is assessed individually based on circumstances and may lead to the driver being charged with offences such as dangerous operation of a vehicle, wilful damage, threats of violence, assault and/or any other charge deemed appropriate,” he said.

A road rage incident on the Bruce Highway at Caboolture in April, 2018. Video: Josh Paton

Survey results show road rage encounters were far lower in Tasmania (52.4 per cent), the Northern Territory (55.6 per cent) and South Australia (58.6 per cent), with ACT drivers arguably the most patient, after just 47.1 per cent reported witnessing road rage.

The survey found men were more likely to witness road rage than women, while young drivers, particularly those within the Generation Z group, were more likely to be involved in a road rage incident.
Compare the Market manager of general insurance Adrian Taylor said younger drivers were less experienced and therefore possibly more likely to face frustrated drivers.

“We know that younger drivers do face higher car insurance premiums because they have less experience on the roads and are seen as riskier by insurers,” he said.

“It’s very likely that this lack of driving experience could play a role in why younger generations are more likely to witness fury and anger on the roads however, it’s important to know that road rage is felt across the board and is never acceptable – no matter your age or experience.”

A man allegedly pulled a meat cleaver on another driver in Brisbane's southwest in this incident in 2018. Picture: Nine News Queensland/Twitter

Mr Taylor advised drivers to think twice before letting their own anger or other road ragers get the better of them.

“Road rage acts like speeding, abuse, tailgating and even changing lanes erratically are all considered punishable offences, so think twice before letting your anger take over,” he said.

“Instead, take note of the vehicle’s registration details and file a report with the police as soon as possible.

“Also record any other details that may help with your report, such as where the incident occurred, the time of the road rage, a visual description of the driver and their car, any witnesses and any damage to your vehicle or injury to yourself or any other passengers.”

Originally published as Road rage Qld: Queenslanders labelled worst road ragers in Australia