Results: Is there a link between increased coffee consumption and the sometimes fatal bad driving practice called "road rage."
Published on 08/12/2023
There was a time, not long ago, when cars did not come with cup holders. BMW actively resisted putting cup holders in their cars because they thought it would distract drivers. Today however (in the US) people drink coffee while walking as well as driving and coffee consumption has increased substantially in recent years. Has this increase in caffeine intake made drivers more impatient, angrier, less tolerant and less forgiving with road rage becoming the end result? Should drinking coffee while driving be banned as a result?
Admin note: this was originally live on Sun, Aug 6 but we are reposting if for those who could not complete it that day.
Admin note: this was originally live on Sun, Aug 6 but we are reposting if for those who could not complete it that day.
QUESTIONS
GO to COMMENTS
Comments
1.
1.
If there is a link between caffeine intake and road rage then the US might be more prone to road rage incidents than other countries. Unfortunately I could not find stats on this but there are suggestions that "road rage" is simply a convenient excuse lawyers use to explain the bad behaviour of some of their clients. What do you think?
"Road rage" is simply a convenient excuse lawyers use to explain the bad behaviour of some of their clients.
28%
564 votes
Road rage is the result of increased caffeine consumption making drivers more prone to behave badly while driving.
8%
157 votes
Road rage is just one more example of how intolerant society in general has become.
56%
1118 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
20 votes
Not Applicable
25%
506 votes
- Nothing - it mellows me
- I have to use the bathroom.
- I get shaky
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.22% | 4 | |
| Bad habits aren’t terrific, just like speeding most times | 0.05% | 1 |
| Hostile, aggressive thinking, expressing disbelief about how others drive, and considering revenge, physical harm, exceeding the speed limit by 10-20 miles per hour, rapidly switching lanes, tailgating, and running red lights. | 0.05% | 1 |
| unsure | 0.05% | 1 |
| Trump is stupid | 0.05% | 1 |
| ?? | 0.05% | 1 |
| Rage for Biden | 0.05% | 1 |
| a lack of personal self control | 0.05% | 1 |
| None of the above. | 0.05% | 1 |
| I do not know. | 0.05% | 1 |
| Road rage is a result of the various medications, w/ and w/o a prescription that drivers indulge in. | 0.05% | 1 |
| Road rage is hardly an excuse used by lawyers--why convict your clients right off the bat? | 0.05% | 1 |
| Trump won and won very big. He beat all the pedophiles of the Globalism | 0.05% | 1 |
| Signs of the times where everyone has too many things yo do in their day. And people in general becoming more moody and touchy about everything. | 0.05% | 1 |
| Trump drinks coffee. | 0.05% | 1 |
| Road Rage is an expression to rude idiots that cant drive | 0.05% | 1 |
| Love Trump | 0.05% | 1 |
2.
2.
I wasn't able to find stats by nation of road rage incidents but, if there is a link between coffee drinking and road rage, can we assume that since road rage is on the rise in the US, the US must be a leader in coffee consumption? And if the US is a leader in coffee consumption, this will also make it a leader in road rage incidents. Where do you think the US ranks in the world when it comes to coffee consumption?
Countries that have a reputation for being polite and friendly (such as Canada) must drink less coffee.
7%
148 votes
Countries that have a reputation for being short tempered and rude (at least where driving is concerned) such as France and Italy must drink more coffee.
14%
281 votes
Based on how much road rage I see, I think the US must be a leader in the world for coffee consumption.
22%
436 votes
Other (please specify)
3%
53 votes
Not Applicable
59%
1180 votes
- Top 3
- It's ranks 25th
- No idea
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 1.74% | 16 | |
| I have no idea. | 0.33% | 3 |
| Americans tend to be a little full of themselves putting themselves above others and expect to be treated well. Americans can be rude and not be very unapologetic about it. LOL!!! | 0.11% | 1 |
| Correlation is not causation | 0.11% | 1 |
| No connection. Big urban centers with too much traffic coupled with the general breakdown of civility and self-control in the world causes it. | 0.11% | 1 |
| Trump 2024 | 0.11% | 1 |
| Road rage is caused by immaturity, impulsiveness, inability to control emotions, and available weapons | 0.11% | 1 |
| no correlation | 0.11% | 1 |
| I have not the slightest idea. | 0.11% | 1 |
| I think this concept linking coffee consumption and road rage is hogwash | 0.11% | 1 |
| no validated correlation between caffeine and road rage | 0.11% | 1 |
| I don't know if it's coffee. | 0.11% | 1 |
| Trump LOST | 0.11% | 1 |
| unsure | 0.11% | 1 |
| Need more research! | 0.11% | 1 |
| Not sure where the US ranks | 0.11% | 1 |
| No idea. | 0.11% | 1 |
| Every country has consumption problems with different types of characters on the roads | 0.11% | 1 |
| Coffee has nothing to do with road rage, unless you are already high-strung. | 0.11% | 1 |
| Nowhere near the top. Finland tops all countries in coffee consumption. | 0.11% | 1 |
| Love Trump | 0.11% | 1 |
| Is this really a thing? | 0.11% | 1 |
| Has nothing to do with coffee drinking | 0.11% | 1 |
| close to the top, no doubt | 0.11% | 1 |
| I think Americans are bigger entitled a-holes than anywhere else | 0.11% | 1 |
| Don't really think drinking coffee increases cases of road rage. | 0.11% | 1 |
| The US is the leader in people with mental issues | 0.11% | 1 |
| probably about 12 for consumption. | 0.11% | 1 |
| lack of sleep, working 2-3 jobs, long hours | 0.11% | 1 |
| I don't think it counts. | 0.11% | 1 |
| Canada is third in the world in Coffee consumption | 0.11% | 1 |
| Don't have a clue. | 0.11% | 1 |
| I'm not convinced by the assumption that a link exists between coffee and road rage or rudeness. If anything, I'd expect the opposite. | 0.11% | 1 |
| none | 0.11% | 1 |
| no idea | 0.11% | 1 |
| Other countries drink way more coffee than US | 0.11% | 1 |
3.
3.
When I was looking for a link between coffee and road rage I was surprised to find there didn't seem to be one. In fact some countries that have a good reputation for how their citizens treat each other and visitors are also guzzling coffee at a much higher rate than in the US. Which of these world leading countries in coffee consumption surprise you?
Finland leads global coffee consumption per capita with around 26.5 pounds annually.
15%
292 votes
Canada's (and Luxembourg) annual coffee consumption per capita is 14 lbs annually
9%
171 votes
Norway is in 2nd place in the world with 22 lbs of coffee consumed per person annually
7%
130 votes
The US lags behind in 25th place with only 9 pounds of coffee per person
20%
392 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
16 votes
Not Applicable
50%
999 votes
- I'm surprised. Why are Americans so uptight then?
- It sounds correct.
- Must be more tea and soda drinkers
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.40% | 4 | |
| Love Trump | 0.10% | 1 |
| Trump is a caffeine addict. | 0.10% | 1 |
| Not surprised | 0.10% | 1 |
| Don't care about coffee consumption. Care about road rage. | 0.10% | 1 |
| Biden sucks | 0.10% | 1 |
| I COULDN'T CARE LESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! | 0.10% | 1 |
| Road rage not caused by coffee. | 0.10% | 1 |
| ?? | 0.10% | 1 |
| Italy is up there, all the espresso. | 0.10% | 1 |
| Trump lovers ARE LOSERS | 0.10% | 1 |
| unsure | 0.10% | 1 |
| All of them | 0.10% | 1 |
4.
4.
If the link between caffeine intake and negative behaviours (including road rage) is not supported by hard data, why are we seeing more incidents of road rage? Which of the following do you agree with?
There is now a convenient new label for what used to simply be called "dangerous driving."
18%
364 votes
With the increase in dash cameras, there are more recordings and more of them are posted to the Internet. The increase in road rage is more a perception than reality.
19%
370 votes
American (and Canadian) drivers need to lighten up and pay more attention to the quality of their driving.
32%
649 votes
Wherever you are in North America there is never a good excuse for bad behaviour.
33%
652 votes
Other (please specify)
1%
17 votes
Not Applicable
34%
687 votes
- To alert someone to a danger of some kind.
- I don't
- only in case of danger
| Other Answers | Percentage | Votes |
|---|---|---|
| 0.29% | 6 | |
| Love Trump | 0.05% | 1 |
| People are just to self centered & inconsiderate. | 0.05% | 1 |
| Trump is a poor driver. | 0.05% | 1 |
| people have no patience for each other. Everyone is in a hurry all the time. | 0.05% | 1 |
| people are just stupid | 0.05% | 1 |
| Biden sucks | 0.05% | 1 |
| As I said before, nothing to do with coffee. | 0.05% | 1 |
| Americans are just becoming more self-absorbed. | 0.05% | 1 |
| FuckTrump | 0.05% | 1 |
| political divisiveness | 0.05% | 1 |
| Caotic trends in the world affect people | 0.05% | 1 |
COMMENTS