Examining the Relationship between Experienced Workplace Incivility and Aggressive Driving Behaviors on the Work-to-Home Commute

Aggressive driving behaviors have been gaining in notoriety in recent years, with US drivers identifying aggressive driving as a serious problem. Researchers have called for understanding the contextual factors that contribute to drivers engaging in such behaviors. If individuals engage in aggressive driving behaviors during their work-to-home commutes, it is possible that some aspects of work may be associated with these behaviors. The present study examined the influence of employee’s experienced workplace incivility on aggressive driving behaviors, as well as the mechanisms and conditional factors that might shed light on the nature of this relationship through the lens, and extension, of affective events theory. Data were collected via a baseline survey and daily diaries administered over the course of one working week (five days), from employees ( N = 109) who worked full-time and commuted by private vehicle alone on a daily basis. Results indicate that on days when employees experience incivility at work, they engage in aggressive driving behaviors during their work-to-home commutes, through the negative emotions they experience during their commute. Perceived psychological contract violation during the commute was found to exacerbate this relationship. Overall, the present findings suggest that spillover effects due to experiencing workplace incivility have the potential to impact behaviors elicited during the commute, raising the risk of detrimental consequences for both the employee and employer. Practical implications and future lines of research are discussed.