CDL: Aggressive Drivers
Aggressive Drivers and Road Rage: Recognizing the Difference and Staying Safe
Heavy traffic, tight schedules, and the frustrations of daily life can push some drivers to behave in ways that put everyone around them at risk. This article looks at what separates ordinary aggressive driving from full-blown road rage, how to keep your own behavior in check, and what to do if another driver targets you.
What Is It?
Aggressive driving and road rage aren't new phenomena, but modern conditions — heavy, slow-moving traffic combined with tight schedules — have made them more common. Crowded roads leave little margin for error, and that tight margin breeds suspicion and hostility between drivers, making it easier to take another driver's mistakes personally.
Aggressive driving is operating a vehicle in a selfish, bold, or pushy way, without regard for the rights or safety of others. Road rage is something more serious: an emotional state of anger or hostility triggered by an incident involving a vehicle, one that escalates into violent criminal acts or threats of violence. Road rage can include provocative behavior meant to intimidate, harass, or instill fear in others.
It's worth being clear about the distinction — road rage is not the same thing as aggressive driving. Aggressive driving generally involves traffic infractions, while road rage generally involves criminal acts. That said, aggressive driving can escalate into road rage if it isn't defused.
Keeping Yourself From Becoming an Aggressive Driver
How you feel before you even turn the key has a lot to do with how well you'll handle stress once you're on the road. A few habits can help keep your own driving in check:
- Lower your stress level before and during your drive — listening to relaxing, "easy listening" music can help.
- Give the road your full attention. Don't let yourself get distracted by a phone call, eating, or similar activities.
- Be realistic about how long a trip will actually take. Build in some slack for traffic, construction, or bad weather.
- If you end up running later than planned, accept it. Take a breath and let it go rather than trying to make up time aggressively.
- Give other drivers the benefit of the doubt. Try to imagine a reasonable explanation for their behavior — and remember that whatever it is, it almost certainly has nothing to do with you personally.
- Slow down and keep a reasonable following distance.
- Avoid driving slowly in the left lane, which can frustrate other drivers unnecessarily.
- Keep your hands on the wheel and avoid gestures that could provoke another driver — even something as small as shaking your head in irritation.
- Practice courtesy behind the wheel. If another driver seems eager to merge in front of you, mentally say "be my guest." Over time, this response becomes second nature, and other drivers' actions stop feeling personal.
Responding to an Aggressive Driver
If you find yourself the target of an aggressive driver, the goal is to de-escalate the situation and protect yourself, not to win the confrontation. Keep these guidelines in mind:
- Above all else, do what you can to get out of their way.
- Set your pride aside. Don't challenge the other driver by speeding up or trying to hold your ground in your lane.
- Avoid making eye contact.
- Ignore any gestures directed at you, and refuse to react to them.
- Report the aggressive driver to the appropriate authorities, providing details such as a vehicle description, license plate number, location, and direction of travel if you can.
- If you have a phone and can safely do so, call the police.
- If the aggressive driver ends up in a crash further down the road, stop a safe distance away, wait for police to arrive, and report what you witnessed.
Nobody can control how another driver behaves, but everyone can control how they respond. Managing your own stress before and during a drive, staying courteous behind the wheel, and knowing how to safely disengage from a confrontation are all skills that protect you — and everyone else on the road — from a situation that could otherwise turn dangerous.