You’re running late for an appointment and hit a traffic jam. Or maybe someone cuts you off. How do you respond? Driving can be stressful, but feeling angry when behind the wheel could lead to aggressive driving, distracted driving or even an accident.
What Is Road Rage?
Aggressive driving can take many forms, like tailgating, weaving and speeding. 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. The consequences can be serious: Aggressive driving played a role in 56 percent of fatal crashes over a five-year period, according to one analysis.
Here’s what to know about road rage, including tips on staying calm and what to do when confronted with an aggressive driver.
Road Rage Factors
Here are some common factors that often contribute to road rage incidents or aggressive driving behavior.
- Traffic delays
- Heavy traffic, sitting at stoplights, looking for a parking space or even waiting for passengers can increase a driver’s anger level.
- Running late
- Running behind for a meeting or appointment can cause drivers to be impatient.
- Anonymity
- If drivers feel that they probably won’t see other drivers again, they may feel more comfortable engaging in risky driving behaviors like tailgating, cutting people off, excessive honking or making rude gestures.
- Disregard for others and the law
- Some drivers may think the rules don’t apply to them.
- Habitual or learned behavior
- For some drivers, aggressive driving may be the norm.
Most Common Forms Of Road Rage
- Tailgating
- Yelling
- Honking in anger
- Making angry gestures
- Trying to block another vehicle from changing lanes
- Cutting off another vehicle on purpose
- Getting out of the vehicle to confront another driver
- Bumping or ramming another vehicle on purpose
How to Avoid Road Rage
Make sure you have the right car insurance policy to protect yourself from aggressive drivers or if you find yourself the victim of a road rage incident.
Before You Get Behind The Wheel
- Don’t rush. Give yourself time to get where you’re going; you’re less likely to become impatient and take unnecessary risks.
- Cool off. If you’re upset, take time to calm down.
What To Remember When Driving
- Give other drivers a break. If someone is driving slowly, keep in mind they might be lost.
- Use hand gestures wisely. Keep gestures positive—say, waving to a driver who lets you in when merging.
- Don’t tailgate. Always keep a safe distance from the car in front, no matter how slowly they might be driving.
- Lay off the horn. Honking out of frustration won’t solve any problems; it will just increase the stress level for everyone on the road.
- Don’t stop to confront another driver. Stopping could lead to a dangerous situation for everyone.
If Another Driver Acts Aggressively
- Stay away. Safely change lanes, gradually slow down or even exit the highway to keep a safe distance from the aggressive driver.
- Don’t reciprocate. Ignore the temptation to respond to the other driver; it could cause the situation to escalate. Don’t make eye contact.
- Don’t stop. Stopping could lead to a person-to-person confrontation, which could be dangerous.
- Watch your back. If you’re worried that the other driver is following you, keep your doors locked and drive to the nearest police station.
Taking a defensive driving course could help you stay safer on the road; it could also qualify you for a discount on car insurance. Search for a course near you at geico.com.
Read more: Distracted Driving: Here’s Why You Should Pay Attention
Sources 1 National Highway Traffic Safety Administration 2 AAA Foundation For Traffic Safety 3 Insurance Information Institute
Van Mclaughlin says,
Great information !
I was antagonized in a recent cut off incident and responded with a move to pass and change lanes around the offender. Unfortunately the cars touched during the move and both lost a side view mirror.
It was a reaction that I regret. Just like the article mentions a momentary angry emotion caused damage and waste when no response was needed.
Steve Todd says,
Tailgating was the number-one cause of collisions in my hometown back in 2013. Number two was failing to judge stopping distances correctly. The two go hand-in-hand, of course.
Tailgating is one of the most unwise things any driver can do. It endangers the driver and passengers of the leading vehicle, those of the tailgating vehicle, and any other persons nearby who might possibly be caught up in the accident just waiting to happen.
If folks would just give the person ahead 3 seconds (or more) following distance, there’d be many fewer accidents on our roads. I don’t believe there is any situation, other than a medical or life-threatening emergency, that warrants driving in anything other than a safe and sane manner.
Pulling over isn’t always safe or even possible, especially if the tailgater doesn’t back off during the leading vehicle’s maneuver. Some two-lane roads don’t have suitable shoulders or other features allowing drivers to pull off safely at any speed. What does one do in these cases? Sometimes there’s no good way to deal with aggressive drivers because they simply won’t allow it. My policy is to drive within the speed limit at all times; I won’t go over the limit for anyone, because they’re certainly not going to pay any speeding ticket I might get. In the past, I’ve tried various methods of warning off tailgaters, from tapping brakes to slowing down 5 MPH to making polite “back off” hand gestures. None of them seemed to work well, and many of them just seemed to make things worse.
Being tailgated often feels like a no-win situation to me, because if I pull over or speed, I feel I am encouraging the ill behavior… but if I don’t, the tailgater is continuing to endanger me and my property.
frank says,
ever since someone was driving head on in my lane I never drive with out my skeleton case Gopro on my windshield plunged into a cigarette lighter. now I need a 2nd Gopro for the rear.
Mike curtis says,
Do not buy into aggressive driver’s action… let them go past you and you win by avoiding potential danger.
That is what safe and sane drivers really want.
Bad drivers have emotional problems they take to the road…
Steve Spatola says,
For most of us the road rage opportunities occur in the common traffic routes that we travel daily. I live near a very busy, Camera Enforced intersection. You’d think the problem is light runners but NO! Just ahead of the northbound crosswalk are two large shopping centers. One doe not allow a left turn in to it and the other doesn’t allow a left turn out of it. Both are well signed but between the numerous jaywalkers with strollers, making turn lanes that do not exist going in to a shopping center and dodging the guys turning left in to your legal northbound lane to make their exits are aggravating. Numerous calls to the traffic division still doesn’t solve the issue or enhance the once bankrupt city’s treasury. In conclusion, enforcement needs to be present and when it is, the road manners improve.
I often travel in my pickup with a cabover camper and towing my car trailer. I usually remain in the RH lane because of the 55 MPH rules. A lot of weight but so many entering the highway never look for oncoming traffic and “demand” by their behavior that I accommodate them while they talk on their cell phones or text! I get many birds and other gestures for obeying the rules of the road but again, I rarely see enforcement. Driver’s Training programs are lousy today as they’re no longer part of high school education, rather an off-duty coach does it on the side for income! Doesn’t anyone ever fail this course?
Albert Hess says,
Good point Steve. In my area we have a lot of 4 lane not so limited access highways. When the traffic is heavy and the “ramps” are very close together I will not run in the right hand lane. Given good conditions I do try to run the left hand lane at at least 5 over. I think that I am safer dealing with “rager’s” than the texter’s in the right hand land who may miss by brake slam needed because of sloppy mergers.
Tony smith says,
I firmly believe that there should be about a 5 second horn limit per month. Once it is exceeded the car should become inoperable. 99 percent of horn use is just venting, and only adds to the general level of stress and aggravation.
manuel says,
I agree with a lot of the comments and with Giego I think we should all be responsible drivers and drive with courtesy and safety
Molog Shint says,
I see how to avoid it but how do I temper it!!!!!!
Albert Hess says,
That would take all the “fun” out of second and third world driving. High horn use does increase situational awareness.
Amos Chevalier says,
Pretty good stuff, GEICO!
William upton says,
If you want to drive slower then the flow of traffic or speed limit than have the decency to get in the right lane.
Patrick says,
Exactly.
Albert Hess says,
Should one feel obligated to show decency to those who don’t drive in a decent manner by exceeding the speed limit?
Jeremiah Miller says,
Here’s a great idea! Treat your fellow humans with respect. Everyone makes mistakes here and there, but to pretend you souly own the road…..well you’re kind of asking for it. If a level of respect is achieved between fellow man, it would subside alot of these issues. Bringing an ego to the road is beneficial to no one. And tail gaters…..you’re not going to get there any faster, especially if you end up having words on the side of the freeway.
Bradley W. Pride says,
Ticket all tailgating. PLEASE!!!
Kathy says,
yes, yes, yes. Tailgating is using a vehicle as a weapon!
James Clark says,
I agree with the comments also the problem is there are more reckless drivers than safe ones.
R. Sixbey says,
GREAT Idea! The ticket should hurt the pocket book also.
Capt Obvious says,
Some of those are good tips, but avoiding eye contact and turning up the stereo are terrible ideas because part of the issue with driving these days is that people isolate themselves into pods with wheels where they lose their connection to what is happening around them to the other travelers also isolated. Imagine if we all had convertible cars for example during a typical morning commute in summer: I doubt people would find themselves so quick to jump to their cell phones or treat the other commuters as aggressively. It’s just a theory, but I’ve been studying traffic tourettes (a term I’ve dubbed for the type of string of expletives that escape mouths when a driver feels impeded or slighted by another driver) for quite a few years now and have a few ideas for potential solutions for this anger plight we suffer from, but none of them besides mindfulness and awareness are free for everyone.
Candace says,
Instead of getting angry at someone in front of me who is going 10 mph, I will sometimes pull over and let the next guy get frustrated and then wait a few mins and start driving again.