Road rage, which is classified as aggressive or angry behaviour exhibited by motorists, is a prevalent safety concern on roads across the country. In fact, 95 per cent of drivers admit to engaging in aggressive and road rage-like behavior when behind the wheel, according to a recent survey.
What Causes Road Rage?
Road rage is often caused by inconveniences and incidents that occur while driving, usually in a retaliatory fashion. Some common forms of road rage include:
• Yelling • Honking • Tailgating • Cutting off other vehicles on purpose • Initiating confrontation outside of vehicles • Ramming other vehicles intentionally
While most instances don’t go further than expletives and hand gestures, road rage can lead to violence. Some of the most common causes of road rage are:
• Heavy traffic—Stalled traffic can cause impatient drivers to get frustrated, allowing minor inconveniences to set them off more easily.
• Anonymity—Some drivers believe they can get away with honking, gesturing or cutting people off because there’s a sense of anonymity behind the wheel.
• Distracted driving—Observing distracted driving behaviors—such as swerving and cutting people off—can be scary and result in anger directed toward irresponsible drivers.
• Impatience—Drivers who are running late or feel their time is more important than others’ tend to drive more erratically.
Road Rage Prevention
It’s impossible to control the actions of others, but all drivers can control how THEY respond. To prevent road rage, drivers should follow the rules of the road, including maintaining adequate following distances, using turn signals and allowing others to merge. The following measures can help prevent road rage:
• Leave on time. Lateness can lead to unsafe driving. Plan for construction, heavy traffic and other delays to give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination.
• Cool down first. Drivers who are angry—for example, those driving after an argument—should hold off before getting behind the wheel.
• Have empathy. Drivers shouldn’t take others’ actions personally; they should have patience while sharing the road.
Conclusion
Road rage can happen to anyone and threaten the well-being of those on the road.