The Myth of Rubbernecking

2008.01.12   prev     next

All my life I’ve heard traffic reports that say “rubbernecking” (accident gawking) is slowing down traffic at the scene of a crash.

Over the years, I’ve tried to observe actual rubbernecking, but I don’t think I’ve ever convincingly seen it. But I have noticed that every time there are flashing lights up ahead, people (including myself) reflexively slow down.

So I’m calling this “rubbernecking” thing as an outright myth. Whether the driving lanes are clear or not, people always slow down for flashing lights. That’s the cause of the slowdown — it’s not rubbernecking.