Staying safe while driving should always be your number one priority. Oftentimes, it goes beyond good driving skills and adequate traffic conditions and extends to your ability to avoid road rage.

What is road rage?

Defined as a wave of sudden violent anger provoked in a motorist by another driver, road rage is unfortunately all too common on our roads. Road safety research shows that the frequency of aggressive driving and road rage incidents is increasing and is linked to the rise of congestions on our roads and highways.

Road rage can be expressed through various behaviours, such as tailgating, erratic lane changes, speeding, or shouting something to another driver. Not only are some of these behaviours dangerous, but they’re also illegal.

Could road rage be in our DNA? Possibly. Everyone has experienced it at some point while driving, but we should all learn how to control it. If you accidentally bump into someone while walking, you wouldn’t normally start shouting at each other. And the same thing should be applied when you’re behind the wheel: make sure you align your person-to-person values with your driver-to-driver values.

Tips to minimise aggressive driving

Leave early

Most of the time, road rage happens because we’re in a hurry to get to our destination. You woke up late this morning, didn’t take the time to have breakfast so you’re hangry, and the person in front of you is driving slower than a snail. As a way to make them understand that they need to step on it, you tailgate…Well actually, that’s the completely wrong way to handle the situation, and can have dangerous consequences. Always give yourself plenty of time to arrive at your destination so you can remain calm.

Plan ahead

As previously mentioned, road rage incidents are likely linked to the increase in traffic on our roads. Whilst you have no control over this, you can plan ahead and avoid those main roads that have a lot of congestion. You can either beat traffic by leaving earlier or find a back way to get to the office. Whilst this may take longer, you won’t be stuck in traffic, which often leads to bad moods.

Listen to music

Listening to music is therapeutic: it relieves stress and helps to filter out negative emotions. While you’re driving or stuck in traffic, turn on the radio and let that soothe you instead of bathing in anger.

Don’t reciprocate

Being stuck in the middle of an aggressive driver can be a scary situation. Whatever you do, do not reciprocate their behaviour. Put your ego aside and prioritise your safety. The smartest thing you can do is to safely get out of their way and play pretend. Stay focused on getting to your destination without getting distracted by reckless driving. If someone is getting mad at you on the road, playing pretend is usually the best solution so you don’t give them the satisfaction of a reaction.