ROAD RAGE AGGRESSIVE DRIVING ON THE ROAD

AGGRESSIVE DRIVING More drivers have started acting out their anger when they get behind the wheel. ◦Cut off ◦Tailgated ◦Slowed down by a vehicle in front of them. Angry drivers can commit incredible acts of violence. ◦Assault and murder

AGGRESSIVE DRIVING STATISTICS AAA Foundation of Traffic Safety studied: ◦M◦More than 10,000 incidents of violent aggressive driving committed in IIt found that at least 218 people were killed. AAnother 12,610 angry drivers got injured.

What is ROAD RAGE? No national definition for the term “road rage” ◦It is commonly defined as a societal condition where motorist lose their temper in reaction to a traffic disturbance. ◦In most cases, the traffic situations encountered are typical of today's normal driving conditions in higher traffic volumes.

Aggressive Driving “Aggressive driving” refers to an angry motorist attempting to intentionally injury or kill another driver because of a traffic dispute. ◦Aggressive drivers react negatively and use their vehicles to retaliate by making sudden, threatening maneuvers. “Road Rage” ◦This makes “Road Rage” a serious issue of traffic safety for yourself and others.

What Causes Aggressive Driving Behaviors? Aggressive driving behaviors are triggered by a variety of stimuli. 1. ANGER…… AT FAST DRIVERS WHEN CUT OFF AT SLOW DRIVERS AT BROKEN TRAFFIC LIGHTS AT TRAFFIC JAMS AT YOUR PASSENGERS AT TAILGATERS WHEN MULTILANE HIGHWAYS NARROWS WHEN OTHERS TELL YOU TO CALM DOWN

What Causes Aggressive Driving Behaviors? 2. COMPETITION….. WITH YOURSELF WITH OTHER DRIVERS WITH OTHER CARS IN A TRAFFIC JAM RACING OTHER DRIVERS WITH DRIVERS WHO CHALLENGE YOU STREET RACING AT STOP LIGHTS TO AMUSE YOURSELF WHEN BORED

3. IMPATIENCE…. AT STOP LIGHTS WAITING IN LINES WAITING FOR PARKING SPACES DRIVING IN A SLOW LANE WAITING FOR PASSENGERS TO GET IN WHEN THE VEHICLE AHEAD SLOWS DOWN IF BEHIND SCHEDULE ON A TRIP AS AN PASSENGER, IMPATIENT WITH DRIVER WITH PEDESTRIANS CROSSING THE STREET

4. PUNISHMENT…… - DO YOU “PUNISH” BAD DRIVERS? - COMPLAIN TO PASSENGERS ABOUT OTHER DRIVERS? - CURSE/MAKE ONSENCE GESTURES AT OTHER DRIVERS? - BLOCK CARS TRYING TO PASS? - BLOCK CARS TRYING TO CHANGE LANES? - RIDE ANOTHER CAR’S TAIL? - BRAKE SUDDENLY TO PUNISH TAILGATER? - USE HIGH BEAMS TO PUNISH BAD DRIVERS?

Stated Reasons for Violent Traffic Disputes Arguments over parking spaces. Cutting another motorist off or refusing to allow passing. Minor traffic crashes. Obscene gestures. Slow driving Loud music. Overuse of the horn. Failure to use turn signals.

Violent Traffic Disputes Violent traffic disputes are rarely the results of a single incident, but rather are the cumulative result of a series of stressors. Traffic incident that turns violent is often “ the last straw”

Aggressive Driver Profile Persons who exhibit aggressive behaviors cross all ages, race, socioeconomic and gender lines. Even people who are usually “mild- mannered” can blow their top behind the wheel.

Aggressive Driver Profile People who are characteristically cynics, rude, angry or aggressive are pone to get angry more often. Those people are “raging” at home, at work, and on the road.

Majority of perpetrators: ◦Males between the ages of 18 and 26. ◦Hundreds of reported cases were 26 to 50 years old. ◦In 86 cases the driver was between 50 and 75 years old.

Aggressive Driver Profile No one profile for aggressive drivers. ◦Most are relatively young, poorly educated males with criminal records, histories of violence, and drug or alcohol problems. ◦Many have recently suffered an emotional or professional setback. ◦Hundreds of others are educated men and women with no such histories.

Aggressive Driver Profile While most of the drivers are male: ◦Approximately 4% were female. ◦Women used their vehicle as a weapon in 285 cases. ◦In 31 known cases, women attacked police officers, usually while the officer was attempting to issue a traffic citation.

Common Motorist Irritants Tailgating to pressure a driver to go faster or get out of the way. Flashing lights in order to signal drivers to move to another lane. Obscene gesturing. Changing lanes without signaling. Blasting the horn.

Common Motorist Irritants Frequently changing lanes by weaving back and forth. Racing to beat a yellow light that’s about to turn red. Traveling in the passing or left lane at a slower speed, making it impossible of others to pass. Driving with high beams on behind another vehicle or toward on coming traffic.

Common Motorist Irritants Cutting drivers off. Slowing down after passing someone. Not making a right turn in the right-hand turn lane. Not reacting quickly after the light turns green.

How Can Motorist Protect Themselves? NEVER UNDERESTIMATE the other driver’s CAPACITY for MAYHAM. BE PATIENT KEEP your COOL BE PATIENT and KEEP your COOL in traffic.

Practice Basic Traffic Courtesy Do not make obscene gestures Use your horn sparingly Don’t block passing lane Don’t switch lanes without signaling Avoid blocking the right-hand turn lane Do not take more than one parking space If you are not disabled, don’t park in a disabled space Do not allow your door to hit the car parked next to you Do not tailgate If you travel slowly, pull over & allow traffic to pass

Practice Basic Traffic Courtesy Avoid unnecessary use of high beams headlights Don’t let the car (cellular) phone distract you Don’t stop in the road to talk with a pedestrian or other driver Don’t inflict loud music on neighboring cars

Other Useful Attitudes Assume other driver’s mistakes are not personal Be polite and courteous, even if the other driver isn’t Avoid all conflict if possible. If another driver challenges you, take a deep breath and get out of the way

Reduce Your Stress Allow plenty of time for the trip. Listen to smoothing music. Improve the comfort in your vehicle. Understand that you can’t control the traffic, only your reaction to it.

Enraged Road Warriors enraged road warriors Many otherwise peaceful motorist become enraged road warriors when they get behind the wheel. If you’re one of them, be advised that: ◦a) cars are not bullet proof; ◦b) a truly aggressive driver will follow you home; and ◦c) you’ve got to get out of the car eventually.

FINALLY If you are tempted to participate in a driving duel, ask yourself: ◦Is it worth being paralyzed or killed? ◦Is it worth a jail sentence? An impulsive action could ruin the rest of your life.