Is Road Rage a Criminal Offence in South Africa

Is Road Rage a Criminal Offence in South Africa? 

Is road rage a criminal offence in South Africa? You’ll be surprised. 

Road rage isn’t new. In fact, motorists are no longer willing to let things slide, with a lot of cases being recorded for social media viewers. Between experiencing stress, trauma, and resorting to violence, road rage has pushed ordinary scenarios into hazardous scenes. It’s not that physical altercations haven’t happened before, it’s that it’s happening way too often.  

It wasn’t until April where an incident occurred in Emmarentia that a man in his late forties was shot and killed as a result of road rage – his wife was also injured in the process. The other party involved was not prosecuted as it was a “means of self-defence.” 

This form of rage or aggression is not something we see everyday, but it seems to be getting worse as time goes on. 

Road Rage in South Africa Explained

Thandi van Heyningen, clinical psychologist and Institute for Security Studies researcher, mentioned in an Eye Witness News report that a lot of South Africa’s problems that involve violence are making their way onto our roads.

“Small situations can escalate into something deadly,” she says. 

“The issue of violence is a complex one. Many South Africans operate under extreme emotional pressure before they even step into their vehicles.” Plus, adding in weapons like firearms increases the danger. 

So, why do people behave the way they do when driving? 

There’s a reason behind the anger issues. Psychology behind road rage is often connected to emotion and stress. Thandi explains how people will react differently inside their vehicles because it creates a “sense of anonymity, power, and control.” 

Human factors like emotional flooding and our fight or flight response is part of this, where intense emotions override rational thinking. 

To put it into perspective, Arrive Alive conducted a survey out of 88 respondents (39% male and 61% female) in the Johannesburg metro area. Their reports showed the following:

The age group of respondents who are behind some of the targeted road rage are recipients under 20s, followed by drivers aged between 20 and 25 years old. Out of those numbers, 55% male and 3% female who initiated the road rage.

According to Car Track, road rage incidents accounted for 1,272 attempted murders, 1,053 murders, and 20,686 assaults from July to September in 2023. They say that numbers are still on the rise. 

Meaning of Road Rage

Some say road rage gets its reputation from isolated bursts of anger on the road or as a result of bad driving.  While it’s an easy definition to cling to, its real meaning takes the form of interpersonal aggression on both drivers and pedestrians.

Sometimes, the aggression isn’t even directly related to the incident at all. Gary Arnold from Arrive Alive explained that a driver’s response to the perceived anger can make things worse and spur on deadly consequences.

It’s really about what goes on behind that meaning: the causes. 

Factors and Causes of Road Rage

The stresses of daily living for south africans becomes apparent once you’re out on the streets or motorways. From bumper-to-bumper traffic and four-way stops to broken down vehicles and taxi drivers, there’s no shortage of road rage users. 

Without going into complicated psychological and sociological issues, most of the time road rage can stem from pre-existing issues. In a nutshell, this includes daily influences, such as:

• Work life
• Relationships and conflict
• Stress
• Mental health
• Aggressive drivers
• Weather conditions
• Retaliation 
• Traffic

The degree of anger will vary from one person to another, what makes one person tick might upset another. This applies to most things like standing in line, waiting for an open counter, etc. Basically, places where most people should have a good sense of their surroundings and space. 

The biggest factor that motivates aggressive drivers to react the way they do is because of anonymity. Drivers who vent their anger on others feel confident enough to get away with their aggression.

Safety Tips and Tricks

Aggressive driving and road rage may not be one in the same, but they carry similar weight. One might trigger the other and create chaos, and you may not even realise it. 

The South African Police Service offers some tips on dealing with aggressive drivers and how you can reduce your own stress from behind the wheel:

1. Don’t take anything personally and avoid conflict if possible. Be polite and courteous even if the time calls for retaliation. 
2. Respond to what you can control, especially in traffic. 
3. Keep your doors locked and call 10111 if an aggressive driver tries to confront you. 
4. Don’t tailgate other drivers.
5. Keep your gestures to yourself.
6. Avoid contact with aggressive motorists.

If you find yourself on the other end of road rage, the incident may become a criminal offence if you: physically threaten or assault the other party or you’re involved in a hit and run with other drivers and pedestrians. 

Make sure you keep up to date with South Africa’s traffic laws.

Here’s what you need to do if a policeman pulls you over. 

The Bottom Line

At the end of the day, every motorist wants to get to their destination in one piece and without extra stress. All it takes is one minor mistake and it could become your problem. 

If you frequently drive long distances, it can be incredibly challenging to keep your composure. It’s good to remember your goal of the journey and always be prepared. Be sure to keep the right essentials in your vehicle, because the more you’re prepared, the less stressed you feel out on the road.