2006年VOA标准英语-Road Rage Becoming Serious Public Health Issue

By Deborah Block
Washington, DC
08 June 2006
 
watch Road Rage report

Traffic congestion¹ causes road rage  
  
Experts say incidents of violent driving, known as road rage, have been on the rise in the United States for the past several years. There is even a name for the condition that supposedly triggers the outbursts.  Even the most mild-mannered person can be transformed into a dangerous driver.

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The American Automobile² Association says incidents of road rage have increased seven percent in the United States in recent years. Road rage can be anything from a hostile glare to threats of violence. Experts say stress due to bad driving, long commutes³, congested roads and busy lifestyles is contributing to the frustration⁴.

Steven Stosny  
  
Steven Stosny, an anger management therapist near Washington, D.C., says road rage can adversely⁵ affect a person's health. "We know that both stress and anger cause major health problems,"he said. "If you are driving resentful or angry, you have little aches or pains -- headaches, backaches, neck aches, shoulder aches, stomach aches -- something's not quite right,"he said.

Stosny says those are just the minor⁶ aches and pains. "You are three-and-a-half times more likely to develop heart disease, nine times more likely to develop high blood pressure," he said.

Nikki Cooper says her road rage was a symptom of something worse. She was diagnosed with a condition known as Intermittent⁷ Explosive Disorder⁸, or I.E.D., an imbalance of brain chemicals, which causes people to blow up into anger unexpectedly. Medical experts say the disorder affects up to one in 20 people. Men are more commonly affected⁹ than women. 

 
Dr. Emil Coccaro
 
  
Doctors say the most minor traffic trouble can drive I.E.D. sufferers into a rage that is difficult to control. Dr. Emil Coccaro of the University of Chicago said, "They're having low-level outbursts, screaming, shouting, slamming doors, or they're having at least three episodes a year where they're destroying large amounts of property or hurting people."

Researchers say I.E.D. typically begins at home with abuse toward a spouse¹⁰ and children, but something like a traffic jam can aggravate¹¹ the problem, as Mary McFee discovered. "It just feels like an explosion of rage, and I try to stop it and it doesn't stop,"she said.

Stosny says people with I.E.D. should try to use other modes of transportation. "If you have I.E.D. you probably shouldn't drive because you're more likely to get it triggered because of the stress of driving," he said.

I.E.D. can be controlled with medication and therapy, which Cooper finds helpful, both while driving and at home. Cooper said, "You're really putting yourself in dangerous situations for really little things."

Whether road rage is associated with I.E.D. or just an angry driver, automotive groups say people need to control themselves because they are hurting themselves and potentially others on the road.

1 congestion   

n.阻塞，消化不良

参考例句：

• The congestion in the city gets even worse during the summer.夏天城市交通阻塞尤为严重。
• Parking near the school causes severe traffic congestion.在学校附近泊车会引起严重的交通堵塞。

2 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

3 commutes   

上下班路程( commute的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• She commutes from Oxford to London every day. 她每天上下班往返于牛津与伦敦之间。
• Barbara lives in Oxford and commutes. 芭芭拉住在牛津，通勤往来。

4 frustration   

n.挫折，失败，失效，落空

参考例句：

• He had to fight back tears of frustration.他不得不强忍住失意的泪水。
• He beat his hands on the steering wheel in frustration.他沮丧地用手打了几下方向盘。

5 adversely   

ad.有害地

参考例句：

• We commented adversely upon the imbecility of that message of telegraphic style. 我们对着这条电报式的愚蠢的留言发泄了一通不满。
• Widely fluctuating exchange rates may adversely affect international trade. 浮动幅度很大的汇率可能会对国际贸易产生有害的影响。

6 minor   

adj.较小(少)的，较次要的；n.辅修学科；vi.辅修

参考例句：

• The young actor was given a minor part in the new play.年轻的男演员在这出新戏里被分派担任一个小角色。
• I gave him a minor share of my wealth.我把小部分财产给了他。

7 intermittent   

adj.间歇的，断断续续的

参考例句：

• Did you hear the intermittent sound outside?你听见外面时断时续的声音了吗？
• In the daytime intermittent rains freshened all the earth.白天里，时断时续地下着雨，使整个大地都生气勃勃了。

8 disorder   

n.紊乱，混乱；骚动，骚乱；疾病，失调

参考例句：

• When returning back,he discovered the room to be in disorder.回家后，他发现屋子里乱七八糟。
• It contained a vast number of letters in great disorder.里面七零八落地装着许多信件。

9 affected   

adj.不自然的，假装的

参考例句：

• She showed an affected interest in our subject.她假装对我们的课题感到兴趣。
• His manners are affected.他的态度不自然。

10 spouse   

n.配偶(指夫或妻)

参考例句：

• Her spouse will come to see her on Sunday.她的丈夫星期天要来看她。
• What is the best way to keep your spouse happy in the marriage?在婚姻中保持配偶幸福的最好方法是什么？

11 aggravate   

vt.加重(剧)，使恶化；激怒，使恼火

参考例句：

• Threats will only aggravate her.恐吓只能激怒她。
• He would only aggravate the injury by rubbing it.他揉擦伤口只会使伤势加重。