The ire drivers feel toward cyclists is surprisingly deep-rooted.

A new study from Queensland University in Australia sheds light on the reasons behind why so many drivers tend to show aggression towards bicyclists. The study showed a correlation between drivers who exhibited rage towards bicyclists and their view of these bicyclists as akin to pest-like insects and other animals.

442 people participated in the study. They were asked to rank bicyclists on a scale from ape-to-human and cockroach-to-human. More than 50% of those participating in the study didn’t rank bicyclists as “fully human”. On either “human” scale, non-cyclists ranked cyclists as only 45% human. The study also found that 17% of drivers admitted to blocking bicyclists with their vehicles. Another 9% confessed that they cut off cyclists while driving.

The statistics from 2014 show that in the United States, more than half of bicyclist fatalities were the result of those cyclists being rear-ended by drivers, or because a driver collided with them via the side of their car. In 2017, 777 cyclists were killed from collisions with drivers. Another 45,000 cyclists were injured just two years prior.

In conclusion, the study found that the aggression drivers have regarding cyclists are very real. This serves as a reminder for both cyclists and drivers to share the road and always be aware of one’s surroundings.