95
ß Confused drivers or pedestrians (weaving in and out of
lanes, looking for road names, reading maps, etc.)
•
HANDLE DRIVER ERRORS DEFENSIVELY: If
another driver makes a mistake, such as a driver who
passes you without enough room or in heavy traffic, do
not make the situation worse. Take necessary actions to
safely avoid an accident.
ß Slow down and allow room for passing drivers to safely
return to the driving lane
ß Slow down and allow room for drivers merging
suddenly from road hazards, as well as ending lanes or
entering/exiting expressways.
ß Slow down and allow room for drivers about to be
forced into you lane by another merging vehicle, road
construction or emergency vehicles approaching or
stopped on the roadside.
If you always drive defensively and follow these traffic space
and scanning guidelines you will help keep traffic moving
smoothly and safely.
Aggressive driving – tailgating, honking, fist and hand
gestures, yelling, speeding, cutting off other drivers, and more
frightening, the use of firearms- has become a real danger on
America’s highways. The National Highway Traffic Safety
Administration (NHTSA) says about 66% of all traffic
fatalities annually are caused by aggressive driving behaviors,
such as passing on the right, running red lights and tailgating.
Law enforcement and insurance companies are getting much
tougher on aggressive drivers.
Tips to Avoid Road Rage
• Give driving your full attention.
• Obey the law.
• Control emotions so they don’t interfere with driving.
• Don’t join in the confrontation, even if it is just honking
or glaring.
• Don’t tailgate
•
Drive defensively
• Give an angry driver plenty space.
• Don’t take traffic problems personally. Be polite, even
when someone else is rude.
• Drive relaxed and within the speed limit, passing only
when necessary.
•
If a driver follows you, go to a police station or a public
place where you can get help. If you are harassed on the
road, get the offender’s license tag number if possible and
report the incident to the authorities.
Because road rage is increasing every year, you must learn to
protect yourself against aggressive drivers. If you have a
tendency to get irritated and angry behind the wheel, you must
learn to change your attitude and your behavior. Otherwise
you are an accident looking for a place to happen.
YOU CAN’T CONTROL TRAFFIC, BUT YOU CAN
CONTROL YOUR REACTION TO IT
ROAD RAGE