Research in psychology has consistently highlighted the role of anger in shaping risky behaviors, yet relatively little is known about the processes through which anger is expressed and regulated in driving contexts. While models of emotion regulation (Gross, 1998; 2015) have demonstrated the effectiveness of strategies such as cognitive reappraisal across a range of situations, their impact on anger expression during driving remains underexplored. The present study was designed to investigate both the verbal and acoustic markers of driving anger, and to test whether cognitive reappraisal could attenuate its behavioral manifestations.


Forty-four participants completed two simulated driving scenarios: a neutral baseline and an anger-inducing task. Speech and driving behavior were recorded throughout. Participants were randomly assigned either to a reappraisal condition, in which they were instructed to cognitively reframe anger-provoking events, or to a control condition without regulation instructions.


Results showed that the anger-inducing scenario elicited increased traffic violations, horn-honking, and cursing. Vocal acoustic analyses revealed only minimal variation, consistent with the "cold anger" profile described in the literature, rather than the heightened arousal typical of "hot anger." Importantly, cognitive reappraisal was found to reduce the number of traffic violations, though it had no significant impact on other behavioral or acoustic indicators.


These findings contribute to enrich our understanding of the expressive and regulatory components of anger in the driving context, and underscore the selective effectiveness of cognitive reappraisal. In addition, the results may inform the development of psychological training programs and digital tools designed to support drivers in managing driving anger and enhancing road safety.