In addition toavoiding obviously aggressive drivers andworking to reduce your own anger, what can you do to improve the experience of your daily commute or your road trip? (He calls it TIF.) -Little towns across the US seem to have many police ticketing cars for doing 27 in a 25 zone, but the mid and larger cities rarely do any adequate ticketing except on some got-cha spots. We all know how cranky we get without enough sleep. A2016 study by AAAfound that almost 80 percent of drivers expressed significant anger, aggression or road rage at least once in the past year., Those people probably didntjust sitquietly seething behind their steeringwheelsAAA concluded that approximately eight million U.S. drivers engaged in extreme examples of road rage, including purposefully ramming another vehicle or getting out of the car to confront another driver.. Performance & security by Cloudflare. It was not my proudest moment. If you or your passengers notice that you often express anger or impatience, or that you seek confrontations with other drivers, thats a good indication that something is wrong. If you pass me on the right, please understand that I am in the left lane because I am going to turn left. Instead of demanding perfection from other drivers, expect imperfection. Competitive types (you know who you are) shouldn't try to prove themselves on heavily traveled thoroughfares save that enthusiasm for weekend romps on your favorite back roads. I want other drivers to know that my intentions are good, Im not using my phone, and I want to be helpful and stay out of your way, but sometimes I make mistakes while driving. Heres How. Road rage impacts everybody on the road. Since then, the term has been used to describe a continuum of angry and aggressive behaviour by drivers in response to mistakes or what is perceived as irresponsible or selfish driving behaviour by other drivers. 17 Responses to "Freeway Frustrations: How to Cope with Road Rage", The Hartford Center for Mature Market Excellence. Police in our town wont come to a parking area accident. - I feel the need to set bad drivers straight. Why do we have this conflict when yielding to one or two merging vehicles into the highway is existing practice and the safest at any speed? These skills and can be learned in a variety of ways: books, apps, online programs, skills groups and individual psychological treatment and can they can help reduce anger and the behaviours associated with it. So, its in your best interest to learn to reduce and manage your anger. The more important question is what makes us more vulnerable to behaving in an hostile manner and how can we take more responsibility for our reactions to the driving mistakes and behaviours of others. less stressed Some people have not been exposed to environments during childhood that modelled effective coping and anger management techniques and strategies like identifying your emotions, breathing and relaxation exercises, mindfulness, and helpful self-talk. : Although it is a small percentage of people who will actually react violently to annoying driving behaviours, you may be putting yourself at risk by responding in a hostile manner. Road rage happens when aggressive driving mixes with anger, and the results can be deadly. Do you really want to take that risk? Tailgating was the number one pet peeve. Drivers can cope by taking an honest look at their driving behavior and attempting to reduce their stress level behind the wheel. Share how you handle and/or avoid road rage in the comments below. Don't be an aggressive driver. Get a no-obligation offer for your car in minutes. But frequently expressing angeratother drivers, stop lights or the wait time at the drive-through, for exampleand lashing out at or challenging other driversis an extreme reaction and can have deadly consequences. Also, try preparing clothing, briefcases, children's school bags and lunches the night before to minimize your morning rush. Read more: Discover how forgiveness impacts our ability to stay mindful and how to be more forgiving. Other suggestions come from the NRMA who suggest waving politely to other drivers to diffuse situations in their RoadWave campaign and Transport for London advises to keep things in perspective and let the anger go in their #sharetheroad campaign. I felt so indignant and annoyed at his impatience, I both swore and gave him the finger. People who have road rage typically have short fuses and are easily agitated by traffic and fellow motorists. Instead, the safest option is to engage in courteous driver behavior while behind the wheel. Flickr Creative Commons Images Once you identify the factors that make you more likely to be easily angered or irritable, you need to plan for it. Even with this delineation, it is difficult to clarify prevalence rates. Whats the difference between stress and burnout? exchange with the people from the Want more tips like these? As a clinical psychologist, I help people manage their emotions effectively but when it comes to road rage, I cant help but wonder, am I part of the problem or part of the solution? Here's how to tap into a zen feeling (almost) instantly, How to bounce back from 'headline stress disorder', Why the simple act of being in nature helps you de-stress. Try this: While driving, try listening to calming music or interesting audio-books. The American Institute for Public Safety (AIPS) has a more detailed RoadRageous Test that determines if your driving habits fall under the "aggressive zone," "hostile zone" or worse yet "war zone.". Click here to review our full list of driver training courses, and download the checklist below to discover which defensive driving principles you need to include in your existing safety program. They're more likely to swear or name-call, to yell at other drivers, to honk in anger. Copyright 2020 Insight Network Inc. All rights reserved. What can you do to reduce road rage, So, what can you do to stay calm and avoid road rage? It's not just honking even texting provokes road rage. Ana Jovanovic a psychotherapist and life coach at ParentingPod, links road rage to a deeper lying resentment or other negative emotion that isnt planted by the offending driver, but triggered by it. I, personally, make sure Im the LAST TO STOP at any four-way stop intersection. It also serves as excellent role modelling for your little passengers. First, the rager may be violent in other parts of their life, for instance at home or with a family. Ignore rude gestures and refuse to return them. Because a whole lot of people keep enduring stress and frustration with all the lockdowns, health-related restrictions, job losses and economic uncertainty, not to mention major changes in our daily routines especially at home. Such behavior is far too common and becoming increasingly dangerous. Always signal your intention when changing lanes. As for rush hour and road work, theyre not going anywhere. Whether you like it or not, we all--unintentionally--view every experience through our own lenses. Make an effort to observe your feelings and behaviors when youre behind the wheel. The action you just performed triggered the security solution. It did make me reflect though on what I might look like to others when Im angry at them in the car and how this could affect their impression of me. Making your car a happy, peaceful place will help keep your road anger at bay. The number of deaths related to road rage is difficult to track, but NHTSA estimates that aggressive driving accounts for about one-third of all crashes and about two-thirds of the resulting fatalities. Read more about the dangers of and how to reduce drowsy driving. Putting aggressive driving in park will help to ensure your own safety, as well as the safety of everyone around you. These figures are replicated across the globe with a recent UK study finding that the UK had the highest rate of road rage, with Australia ranking 9th in a sample of 20 countries. Your IP: You can reduce your chances of becoming a victim or increasing your insurance premium. We all know how cranky we get without enough sleep. Loading. I'm a decent, courteous driver, right? The term road rage was coined by American media after a spate of shootings on Los Angeles freeways. Secondly, the road rager may be . He then told me he is going to call the Police. Use your horn frequently. It also serves as excellent role modelling for your little passengers. Thanks for taking the time to share this post, I feel strongly concerning it and love reading additional on this topic. Perhaps another driver cut you off. Second, when drivers are willing to take more risks on the road. The tag line said, "She learns by watching you.". Know and follow the traffic laws in the jurisdiction where youre driving. Most road rage incidents happen because of already emotionally charged drivers. Maybe there's a screaming baby, a loose pet or a crazed bee in the car. Injuries Caused by Road Rage. Our website features instructional videos, articles about maintaining your car, and detailed profiles of over 500,000 mechanics across the country. Try these tips to keep calm. The turn we make is allowing angry thoughts to occupy our minds [such that it] infiltrates into the very thing we are doing at that moment, even if that thing such as driving has nothing to do with the reason for our anger. Here are some basics on how to identify and deal with aggressive driving. A national epidemic of sleepiness is a contributing factor to road rage, according to the National Sleep Foundation. Struggling to see through a dirty windshield is also an unnecessary stress factor, so fill up with washer fluid before you go. Always signal your intention when changing lanes. How to Manage Road Rage Fortunately, there are some things you can do to manage your anger and reduce the risk of experiencing road rage. It happens a lot: One survey found that nearly 80 percent of drivers expressed significant anger or aggression behind the wheel at least once over the course of the prior year. Why do the mistakes or thoughtless acts of other people upset me and millions of others to such a degree? These drivers are more likely to have impulsive, irresponsible, risk-taking and hostile personality traits according to an Australian National University study of 300 young drivers. Simply put, road rage is driving in an aggressive, hostile, or angry manner. Running them off the road. I started allowing myself more time to travel so I wouldn't get so upset when minor road issues happened.. Listen to relaxing music: Listening to relaxing music can really help, especially if you start feeling stressed, frustrated, or angry. Examples of road rage can include cursing, rude or obscene gestures, throwing objects, ramming, sideswiping or forcing a driver off the road. Recently, a roadside billboard showed an infuriated driver screaming at the car ahead of her while her toddler observed from the backseat. A national epidemic of sleepiness is a contributing factor to road rage, according to the National Sleep Foundation. who measured drivers distress as they drove in various scenarios. Angry responses range from honking, swearing and hostile gestures at one end of the spectrum to dangerous and predatory driving behaviour like tailgating, blocking or chasing, all the way to extremely violent acts that can result in serious injury and even death. NBC News BETTER is obsessed with finding easier, healthier and smarter ways to live. If you are involved in an incident, do not attempt to confront the other driver, or follow them anywhere at all. aggressive driving is a traffic violation. : Violent, aggressive and angry responses may be a result of a lack of skills rather than a lack of motivation to behave better. Young male drivers (aged 22-39) reported the most extreme aggression, and this was associated with drunk-driving, speeding, and the use of a hand-held phone, suggesting that road violence was perpetrated by a small percentage of men who have a tendency toward criminal behaviour and dangerous driving. Why? These drivers are more likely to have impulsive, irresponsible, risk-taking and hostile personality traits according to an, Australian National University study of 300 young drivers, The Australian National Roads and Motorists Association (. Right after the incident I just recounted above, guess what my 8-year old son didhe repeated what I said. If youre like me, you may be thinking, Hmmm, I do spend a lot of time feeling annoyed with other drivers but Im not that angry, I just swear at people when Im alone in my car, and I occasionally flip the bird., I am one of those drivers, quick to react in response to discourteous or irresponsible drivers, easily frustrated by minor errors, and excusing my hostile reactions as an acceptable release of anger because Im on my own within the safe confines of my car. 5) Be a courteous driver - Finally, the best way you can avoid road rage incidents is to be . Avoid eye contact. Adjust your driving accordingly. Why is that? What is sophrology, the latest stress-busting mindfulness trend? - I regularly exceed the speed limit in order to get to work on time. Explanation To do your part to prevent road rage, you should follow laws, signs, signals, and pavement markings. So when another driver acts like a jerk, respond as though you're in a restaurant. It isn't only because they have good manners. We Build Safer Drivers, Eating on the road is a deadly distraction, music can also be a dangerous distraction. The term "road rage" was coined by American media after a spate of shootings on Los Angeles freeways. I was so used to responding to my perception of injustice on the roads in an hostile manner, it led to an automatic response; I didnt think before acting. She found that much of it was rooted in buried resentment towards her father. Lifestyle factors can also impact your emotional state like not getting enough sleep or being very hungry (hence the word, hangry). Increasingly congested roadways are a growing source of driver frustration, but studies suggest the real root of aggressive driving lies within each of us. Sometimes drivers exhibiting behaviors associated with road rage can be unrelenting and unreasonable. Although shootings are not common on Australian roads due to common-sense gun laws, there have been several incidents of extreme violence, like these three serious incidents reported in the news within one week in late 2018one motorist got out of his car and punched a driver repeatedly while his children were watching, another driver threatened a motorcyclist with a metal bar and then was struck by the bar himself in retaliation, and a motorist got out of his car to confront another driver and was run over by the driver in a hit-and-run incident. To remedy this lack of clarity, the Drugs and Crime Prevention Committee of the Parliament of Victoria (Australia) recommended that the term road rage was replaced by two terms, road hostility and road violence (VPDCPC, 2005). I was confronted by an agressive young man for no reason; he would drive fast and stop suddenly in front of me I stopped and sat there. Calming your road rage When angry, you often have a difficult time looking at a situation from a different perspective, Robinson said. Toronto is a very undriveable city. While it's upsetting when a stranger is rude or cuts in line in a restaurant or store, most folks wouldn't lose their cool and become abusive as a result. You need to enable JavaScript to run this app. University of London researcher, Patrick Fagan surveyed 1000 British drivers about their responses to given road scenarios and found that women were angrier while driving than men. Stressed? peaceful In such ascary driving environment, what can you do to avoid angry drivers, manage your own traffic-induced frustration, and generally stay safe on the road? Impatience and strong emotions can push people to drive erratically, which may cause serious car accidents and physical altercations between drivers. Why are we so angry on the road? Maintain a cool head, and focus on reaching your destination safely. If other drivers express anger toward you, dont engage them, avoid eye contact and find help if you need it. This can be a good illustration of how anger fills up the mental space of a person to the point it makes them snap. Make sure to use yourturn signals appropriately, avoid blocking other drivers or pedestrians, come to a complete stop at stop signs and stay within the speed limit. Eight hours is still the recommended daily dose of sleep for adults. which targets the influence of parent behaviour on young drivers. Running late is one of the leading reasons given for road rage. Often, they are required to take a behavior-modification class as well. And the traffic is forever. The list also included unnecessarily slamming on the brakes, merging without indicating, driving too slowly, not allowing others to merge, cutting drivers off, texting while driving, not waving thank you, and using the right-hand lane incorrectly. In the United States, a study by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety found that 80% of drivers reported expressing significant anger, aggression or road rage behind the wheel at least once a year, with up to 24% retaliating through dangerous driving and up to 4% resorting to violent behaviour. Of the Truck. The emotions weve previously been feeling get attached to the situation we are in., Simply put, we project our negative feelings onto the actions of others, Jovanovic says. ! At least 11 states in the nation have laws in place to handle aggressive drivers. They often exhibit certain behaviors such as: Speeding Tailgating Yelling obscenities Jake Nelson, AAAs Director of Traffic Safety Advocacy and Research, advises, Dont risk escalating a frustrating situation because you never know what the other driver might do. IE 11 is not supported. Garin Flowers, a director of media relations in L.A, had terrible road rage when working in Florida and decided to give up driving when he moved out west. But Americans are so accustomed to this carnage and in many cases are such scofflaws themselves that they just wont support any meaningful change to the status quo. If you are in the left lane and someone wants to pass, move over and let them by. In just the past 10 years, theres been a 500% increase in road rage incidents. 1. Prepare the night before for the next day and dont forget to pray. Dont drive while experiencing intense emotion. How is road rage different from good old "aggressive driving," anyway? High anger drivers get angry faster and behave more aggressively. If you are worried about your teens driving habits, such as speeding, there are ways to monitor this behavior. Your use of information and access to such non-Hartford sites is at your own risk. I couldnt do what I do without having genuine positive regard toward others. Aggressive driving is just one type of cognitive distractions. Find out if you're eligible to save hundreds on your car insurance. No one can hear me calling them a moron or an idiot, right? Answers Always signal your intention when changing lanes. A recent, mindfulness is likely to be an effective intervention to both reduce anger and aggressive driving because it helps people regulate their emotions as well as accept, rather than react to situations. How can we get over it so that we dont add to the risks off the road? Disclaimer: Comments are subject to moderation and removal without cause or justification and may take up to 24 hours to be seen in comments. Aggressive driving is extremely common (Remember that 80 percent statistic?) In the United States. Apologize when you are in the wrong. Behaviors that can be classified as aggressive driving and/or road rage include: If you witness any of these actions, or anything else that sticks out as especially rude, risky or confrontational, stay as far away as possible from the perpetrator on the road. Think to yourself, "Is making my point worth endangering my life?" I was driving home and was stopped at a level crossing. It is very easy to get to used to responding to particular triggers in a particular way. This point really hit home for me last year. Periodically roll down the window and breathe deeply and slowly. It makes us prone to feelings of annoyance, resentment and even anger. Leave Earlier to reach your destination. The initial turn [in our mood] usually has nothing to do with the traffic, says Jovanovic. Featuring information & updates on auto, home, transition, technology and wellness. Drivers can learn how to communicate intentions to others and maintain a professional attitude while driving. People most prone to anger are almost three times more likely to have a heart attack than those with low anger, according to the American Psychological Association. There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase, a SQL command or malformed data. These people have poor coping skills, poor anger management skills, and they blow up without thinking or coping, said Dr. Dont challenge them. Privacy Policy and One difficult situation our roads have is in merging onto a busy highway. This can be a good illustration of how anger fills up the mental space of a person to the point it makes them snap., Laura Louise, a speaker, mentor and author describes herself as having previously been an extreme road rage crazy woman., I was so angry inside that any opportunity to release my anger was a welcome explosion of rage, Louise says. Life Is a Highway: Would You Like to Drive It All Night Long? Read more: Mindfulness and meditation teacher Fleur Chambers introduces her 4 Cs concept to strengthen family resilience and mindfulness. Creating a positive driving environment will help keep you calm during your commute and aid you in ignoring the road rage of others. 2023 DMV Practice test. I Drive Safely Examine your values, is your behaviour as a driver in line with these values or not? So there is a strong public health rationale for the development and promotion of interventions to reduce driving anger and incidents of road rage.. A simple smile and humble wave goes a long way to disarm potential conflict. Jake Nelson, AAAs Director of Traffic Safety Advocacy and Research, advises, Dont risk escalating a frustrating situation because you never know what the other driver might do. By following these rules, you can avoid common auto claims due to aggressive driving. If you have a tendency to drive aggressively or become enraged on the road, try not to get behind the wheel when youre likely to be provoked. Road hostility is difficult to measure, relying almost solely on self-report; and road violence incidents are usually recorded as. Always signal your intention when changing lanes. We start perceiving relatively neutral behaviors of other drivers as insulting, disrespectful, upsetting, invalidating, frustrating, etc. It seems that it is ok that when Torontonians get behind the wheel, it gives them the license to be always in a hurry, angry and selfish. Dr. Leon James, a.k.a. This is my one big Aggressive Driver Solution For All: Get a free Edmunds appraisal report for your car in minutes, Ready to sell? For example, cognitive-relaxation techniques have been shown to reduce rage in high-anger drivers.. They found that the physiological and emotional impact of being highly stressed while driving can stay with you for hours after you drive. I regret my mistakes very much. 80 percent of drivers experience some form of aggression behind the wheel. Road rage is explosive anger caused by inconveniences and incidents that occur while driving. What is Road Rage? Here are a few useful tips: Road rage often comes from feeling stressed and being in a hurry. And its unlikely for other drivers, too. Rude gestures, honking, tailgating and texting while driving are among the 12 behaviors identified in a survey about road rage and what provokes it. It probably has a lot to do with your values. When someone is speeding move over let them go, they just might be going to the hospital or heard some bad news. According to the Mayo Clinic, intermittent explosive disorder (IED) is characterized by irrational, explosive anger and frustration.