Italy has been identified as the country with the most aggressive drivers, according to a recent global survey conducted by the car rental platform Discovercars.com. The data indicates that 23% of respondents reported experiencing erratic or reckless behavior while driving in the nation. The United Kingdom followed in second place, with 11% of drivers noting aggressive attitudes on the road, with London frequently cited as a specific trouble spot. The United States secured the third position at 9%, while France and Australia were tied for fourth place, each receiving 5% of the responses. Turkey and Spain rounded out the top rankings, sharing joint fifth place with 4% each.
When analyzing specific behaviors that frustrate motorists, the survey found that failing to use turn signals is the most common grievance, cited by 56% of participants. Tailgating was the next most significant annoyance at 46%, ranking higher than slow driving in the overtaking lane at 43% and sudden braking at 20%.
The study also examined broader perceptions of national politeness, comparing behavior on and off the road. In a separate poll by financial services company Remitly, Italy ranked 24th out of 25 countries for general politeness, with only Austria scoring lower. Japan topped that particular list, followed by Canada and the UK. Interestingly, when asked to self-assess their own politeness, Japanese respondents gave themselves a relatively low score of 8.73 out of 10. Conversely, participants from Brazil and Chile viewed their own populations as the most polite globally, awarding themselves an average score of 9.46. They were followed by India at 9.41, and Sweden and France, which both recorded scores of 9.40.
