Men 'more stressed in traffic jams'

26 May 2011

Female motorists are much better at coping with the stress of being caught up in a traffic jam than their male counterparts, according to a study by satnav firm TomTom.

The study, which involved analysing the increase in stress chemicals in the saliva of motorists when stuck in heavy traffic, showed that the rise in men's stress levels was seven times higher than a woman's.

Researchers found that stress levels rose 8.7% in women when caught up in a traffic jam, while they were up 60% in men.

Two thirds of the women and half of the men who took part in the study reported not feeling stressed out at all after spending 20 minutes in heavy traffic, despite their chemical indicators shooting up.

Nearly 50% of all adults commute to work by car on a daily basis and those who are constantly stuck behind the wheel are at a higher risk of developing stress-related health problems.

Health psychologist David Moxon said motorists who feel stressed could drive erratically or even dangerously.

Men may become more stressed during traffic jams as their normal reaction to a difficult situation is known as 'fight or flight' - which means either confront it or just walk away. However, traffic congestion does not leave them either option which causes frustration.

Women, on the other hand, relieve the pressure using simple methods such as singing to the radio.

Copyright © Press Association 2011