Research by social psychologist William Szlemko at Colorado University has proven that drivers who sport car accessories such as personalised number plates, furry dice, and bumper stickers are more likely to suffer symptoms of road rage.
Amusingly, the greater the number of "territorial markers" a driver possesses in connection with their vehicle, the more likely it is that they will respond in an inappropriate manner to others' on the road.
Szlemko says: "Just the presence of territory markers predicts the tendency to be an aggressive driver."
Szlemko's co-author, Paul Bell, agrees: "Territoriality is hard-wired into our ancestors from tens of thousands of years ago. Animals are territorial because it had survival value. If you could keep others away from your hunting groups, you had more game to spear ... it becomes part of the biology."
If you're a territorial kind of person, number plates are certainly one of the best ways to personalise your car. Road rage? Your choice!
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