Tips To Avoid Road Rage

Unfortunately, more and more drivers have started acting out their anger when they get behind the wheel. After they've been cut off, tailgated, or slowed down by a vehicle in front of them, these angry drivers can commit acts of violence, including assault and murder.

How can you avoid being the victim of an aggressive driver? While there are no sure techniques, three basic guiding principles can help: Don't Offend, Don't Engage, and Adjust Your Attitude


1. Don't Offend

When surveys ask drivers what angers them most, the results are remarkably consistent. A few specific behaviors seem unusually likely to enrage other drivers. You can protect yourself by avoiding them:

Cutting off
When you merge, make sure you have plenty of room. Use your turn signal to show your intentions before making a move. If you make a mistake and accidentally cut someone off, try to apologize to the other driver with an appropriate gesture. If someone cuts you off, slow down and give them room to merge into your lane.

Driving slowly in the left lane
If you are in the left lane and someone wants to pass, move over and let them by. You may be "in the right" because you are traveling at the speed limit, but you may also be putting yourself in danger by making drivers behind you angry. In Texas the law requires you to travel in the right lane and use the far left lane only for passing. Besides, it's simple courtesy to move over and let other drivers by.

Gestures
Almost nothing makes another driver angrier than an obscene gesture. Keep your hands on the wheel. Avoid making any gestures that might anger another driver, even "harmless" expressions of irritation like shaking your head. Be a cautious and courteous driver. Signal every time you merge or change lanes, and whenever you turn. Use your horn rarely, if ever. If you and another driver see a parking space at the same time, let that person have it. And if another driver seems eager to get in front of you, say "Be my guest." When you respond this way, after a while "be my guest" becomes your automatic response and you won't be as offended by other drivers' rudeness.


2. Don't Engage

One angry driver can't start a fight unless another driver is willing to join in. You can protect yourself against aggressive drivers by refusing to become angry at them. A person who is angry can do things they may later regret, and that includes you. If you're tempted to retaliate against another driver, think about what kind of a crash your angry actions could cause. Then cool down and continue your trip.

Steer clear
Give angry drivers lots of room. A driver you may have offended can "snap" and become truly dangerous. If the other driver tries to pick a fight, put as much distance as possible between your vehicle and the other car, and then get away as quickly as possible. Do not under any circumstances pull off to the side of the road and try to settle things "man to man."

Avoid eye contact
If another driver is acting angry with you, don't make eye contact. Looking or staring at another driver can turn an impersonal encounter between two vehicles into a personal duel. And once things get personal, the situation can get out of hand fast.

Get help
If you believe the other driver is following you or is trying to start a fight, get help. If you have a cellular phone, use it to call the police. Otherwise, drive to a place where there are people around, such as a police station, convenience store, shopping center, or even a hospital. Use your horn to get someone's attention. This will usually discourage an aggressor. Do not get out of your car. Do not go home.


3. Adjust Your Attitude

The most important actions you can take to avoid aggressive driving take place inside your head. By changing your approach to driving, you can make every trip more pleasant. Try these ideas for a pleasant change:

Forget winning
For too many motorists, driving becomes a contest. Are you one of those drivers who allows the shortest possible time for a trip and then races the clock? If something happens to slow you down do you get angry? The solution: Allow more time for your trip. You'll be amazed at how much more relaxed you feel when you have a few extra minutes. So instead of trying to "make good time," try to "make time good." Listen to soothing music or a book on tape. Practice relaxation techniques, such as deep breathing. You'll arrive much calmer, fresher, and in a less stressed-out frame of mind.

This is an abbreviated version of an article on our firm's Web site. To read the entire article, please click here.