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
Jeffrey Shallcross says,
Defensive driving is the key to good driving habits if practiced every time you get behind the wheel. As a manger in transportation for over 10 years i can attest to the fact from accidents and incidents what can happen when emotions run hi due to traffic conditions and other drivers moods. Construction zones can be some of the worst case scenarios, Driving through any construction zone means paying the strictest observance for a drivers surroundings.
Your article brings to light some of the proper ways avoiding someone with road rage, although it does not always work , most times diffusing a potential antagonistic advent is the best thing to do provided a driver knows what to do in these situations.
Steve Nolden says,
What is an “I’m Sorry” gesture?
Brian says,
I assume just a wave of the hand and expression that indicates you know you did something wrong
Sick Drivers Off The Road says,
Well the very bad thing is that many of these very mentally ill drivers will still stay in the right lane which many of us just want to drive at a Normal Speed which they will ride our bumpers even in the right lane which these people are real Total Losers anyway that need to get a life. I will just put my break on as if i am going to stop which then they will realize that i am Not going to go any faster which they will have no choice but to go over to the left lane since i refuse to go any faster just because they want too. Makes very much sense to me since the speed limit on the road that i am driving on says 50 mph when they are going at least between 70 and 80 mph. It is just too very bad that we Don’t have enough police on the road to look out for these Low Life Losers in the first place.
Tryin to stay safe says,
My sentiments exactly
Ralphie says,
YOU are the TRUE LOSER, Not these other drivers. Just to make this clear.
Tyler says,
Good advice. The main thing is that we all make road mistakes at some point in time . Sure, someone just cut me off, hey, I’ve done the same thing to at some point.
To echo the advice above:
-Avoid eye contact, even if you do cut someone off. Many road rage instances start with that. When in doubt, keep looking forward. Even if someone pulls into the lane next to you (after the offense) and stops before they really need to so they can visually confront you, don’t even turn your head. Often times, once they see they aren’t getting “a rise” out of you, they’ll just keep driving (had that happen recently)
If you are indeed being followed:
-Stay on main roads, avoid driving towards areas that seem to be dead-ended.
-Try to make three Right turns (ideally in an area you re familiar with), often times the Raged will think they’re going in circles and give up.
-Road rage is a crime in most states. If you can safely (or someone else in a technical) get on the phone with the cops for advice. Drive into a police station parking lot or pulled up behind a parked but active one.
-NEVER exit the car or roll down the window.
All in all, road rage is petty anger, the enraged person has usually forgotten about it a few hours later (if that). Chances are you will never see the person again.
D. "Pete" Pistole says,
Don’t take it personally, for example when somebody cuts in front of you usually without using their turn signals. Instead, think to yourself, wow, another car with no turn signals-maybe burned out.
When somebody speeds by way faster than is safe, I imagine they have an emergency situation causing them to drive wildly, as if they stole the vehicle.
Another tactic I use is to assume that every other driver is an off duty cop, regardless how stupid something is that they are doing.
TheRealTruth says,
There are many drivers that cause road rage do to their mental illness since they Tailgate a lot when there is no reason in the world to do that in the first place since i have noticed that many of them will do it on spite since there is a left lane to pass which many of them just have trouble doing the speed limit. These Losers need to get a life before more innocent people like us get hurt which this is a Law that should’ve been Enforced from day one which there should be definitely more police on the road to look out for them.
Mike says,
Great advice. Best thing to do is let it go and let them be on their way. It’s not worth it especially if you have kids who need you around in their lives. Karma catches up to them anyway. I remember watching a guy fly by me on the on ramp while it was raining because he felt I was going to slow. Car slipped and did a 180 slamming into the center divider.
Deacon Jones says,
KARMA is correct. Sooner or later, these crazies get what is coming to them. Just don’t react to them, knowing that God sees and they will get what is coming to them as a result of their own actions.
Horace Grogan says,
Great reminders!
Jody Carr says,
I was a professional UPS driver fir many years and do know about driving defensively; however there are MANY outrageous, aggressive, drivers on the road who s3m to want ro ruin people’s day. What a shame…really. Where are the nice, sweet, kind people in this world? It truly is sad that so many people are angry, inconsiderate, and plain nasty. Thanks for the tips!
VE says,
I feel like the problem in Florida is that many people assume if you hit them you are automatically at fault, do to the no fault law in Florida (which is somewhat ridiculous) there are drivers jumping on the expressway hitting the gas not even looking at coming traffic. Does anyone know what YIELD or MERGE mean? People that are hit from behind are not always in the right, JSO who we employ to control the flow of traffic break more traffic laws than actually doing what we pay them for.
And people here drive like they just seem fast and furious 6 or something but as soon as Jso pull up on seem they wanna drive like the model boycott just long enough forJso to exit highway. Smh/sigh.
harry beton says,
One of the problems That I see is the total lack of response by the Florida police. I have seen many blatant violations by motorists , that have been seen by the local police and never been pulled over for. they are either overworked or too lazy to do anything about
I think that we should reintroduce inspections in Florida, if only to get some of the vehicles off the road that are using the very dark windows, their headlights are either not working or out of adjustment. We have cars out there that have taken off their catalytic converters and replaced them with very loud exhausts. when they are given a ticket ( if ever ) it should be a fix-it ticked so they would have to correct the problem instead of just paying a fine
Raylin Sutter says,
How many car accident claims are made a year due to road rage? I feel like it only makes sense that it is a leading cause because I see it all the time. In fact, I am very prone to getting angry when I am on the road. A couple summers ago I let that rage get the best of me. I got distracted by that anger and ended up in a minor wreck. Now, I work very hard to stay patient while driving.
Brian says,
I cycle and I use an air horn when a driver behaves dangerously such as passing closely. A side swipe between cars can lead to cosmetic damage and if there’s property damage, it can be repaired. For a cyclist, theres no armor and it can be fatal which is why when they squeeze through, I feel that I must honk. We must be reminded of the rules of the road when we forget them. Interestingly, they don’t give eye contact. It is because of guilt or they think its road rage? I expect a few people to disagree with my comment but I don’t see how passing a cyclist within a few inches is so safe.
Sam says,
I go to Indonesia.The cyclists there honk all the time…it is just their way of letting you know they are there…amazingly in all my trips there i have never seen anyone get mad.
Dr Ross says,
The only thing more disconcerting than road rage is the poor grammar used by most respondents to this article.
Celeste Starks says,
I think there is more of overcrowded population in America which can cause stress alone. The roads and highways are really unprecedented crowded. Let’s say if you put 20 grown rats in a 2 by 4 cage, there’s going to be trouble. Does this give a clue??