Road Rage - Safety

Do you know what to do in cases of road rage?  Most of us spend approximately an hour in our car every day to and from work.  We love our freedom so much that we hop in our car for weekend getaways adding additional hours spent in the confines of its cabin.  It is probable that, in the estimated 356 hours on the road, we’ll experience somebody’s road rage in one form or another.  How we react in these situations has more of a bearing towards the outcome than we think.

If you’re a victim of road rage, don’t get aggressive towards the perpetrator.  Reacting towards their aggression can make matters escalate further.  It is best to obey all traffic laws and be in the right.  Don’t return their gestures, their poor driving habits and definitely don’t react hostile.  If somebody gives you the bird, give them a smile.   It's better to kill people with kindness than to put yourself in harm’s way.    If they continue to act aggressively towards you, right down their license plate number, year make and model of the vehicle and call the authorities.  It might be helpful to have a passenger take a picture with their phone for reporting purposes.  Remove yourself from the situation and get to safety. 

The psychology of an aggressive driver can stem from negative events throughout their day.  People who act like monsters on the road are humans too.  They could’ve had a bad day at work, horrible news or maybe their pet hamster just died.  Send a good vibe their way and don’t partake in the obnoxiousness of the situation.  Even if they’re not thinking about their well-being, sometimes you have to think and react for yours and others’ safety.

If you are the perpetrator of road rage, take a deep breath and relax.  Use your drive time as your time to decompress from the stress, but if it is your vehicle that is stressing you out, maybe it’s time to get a new one: http://bit.ly/186aAbF