Aggressive driving and road rage has increased greatly over the past couple of years. Angry drivers have been known to commit acts of violence such as assault and murder, when provoked. It is imperative to recognize the warning signs of aggressive driving in order to avoid becoming involved in a potentially hazardous situation.

Road rage has surfaced on our roads due to overcrowding. In the last decade the number of cars on the road has increased severely. People have less time and more things to do in that time period. This causes a lot of stress, which leads to short tempers. These are definitely factors that create road rage.

In order to avoid engaging in a situation with a driver you suspect may be violent there are precautions you as a driver should take every time you get behind the wheel.

1. 1. Avoid offending other drivers since there are many things that provoke drivers to commit acts of violence

These include:

• Being cut off by other vehicles
• Being tailgated
• Drivers who do not signal their turns or lane changes.
• Driving behind a slow-moving vehicle in the fast lane of traffic
• Drivers who do not pay attention to the road while using a cellular phone
• Women who put on make-up while driving
• Drivers who are being overcautious
• Drivers who have on their bright lights
• Inconsiderate bus and taxi cab drivers
• Being belittled by obscene gestures
2. Do not engage other drivers
• Avoid engaging other drivers
• even if they are the one’s who are wrong and made angry or vice versa.
• One angry driver can’t start a fight unless another is willing to join in. You can protect yourself by refusing to be angry with them.
3. Adjust your attitudes and approaches to driving
• The most important actions that you can take to avoid aggressive driving takes place inside your head, all by changing your approach to driving.
• Avoid creating a competitive situation with another driver. Forget Winning! Driving is not a contest.
• Put yourself in the driver’s shoes. Try not to judge the other driver, imagine why the person is driving that way.
• Try not to take a person’s bad driving personally. Their problems on the road have absolutely nothing to do with anyone other than themselves.
• Keep your anger in check, when someone is under stress and is upset, it takes something really trivial to set a person on the course of road rage.
These trivial things may include:

• Blowing of the horn
• Some taking too long to move at the green light
• Loud music from another vehicle