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WHAT IS ROAD RAGE?
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Before you know if road rage affects you, you will want to know what it is, and what can cause it.
WHERE DOES THIS 'RAGE' COME FROM?
Road rage is: violent anger caused by the stress and frustration involved in driving a motor vehicle
Habitual road rage: learned behavior; drivers who have learned to drive in an aggressive manner.
Situational road rage: based on the situation that surrounds the driver; driver receives bad news and unintentionally drives aggressively.
ROAD RAGE
HOW DOES ROAD RAGE AFFECT YOUR DRIVING?
CAUSES OF ROAD RAGE:
Erratic/unsafe lane change
Heavy traffic/gridlock
Construction delays or detours
Distracted driving
Loud music
Slow driving
Making obscene gestures
Tailgating
Cutting another driver off
Overusing the car horn
Headlight flashing
Regardless, both types have everything to do with your EMOTIONS.
Another driver may do something that makes you angry, you may then have an impulse to act out your emotion by driving aggressively.
Your emotions can cause you to make aggressive and erratic decisions that can lead to danger.
Your emotions can override your ability to make rational decisions.
WHY IS ROAD RAGE DANGEROUS?
Aggressive drivers typically do not have full control of their vehicle.
Crashes caused by those driving aggressively frequently occur at high speeds, therefore at greater force.
66% of traffic fatalities are caused by aggressive driving.
Over a 7 year period, 218 murders and 12,610 injuries were attributed to road rage.
HOW DO I PREVENT ROAD RAGE?
CITATIONS
By: Maria Wisniewski
http://www.safemotorist.com/articles/road_rage.aspx
http://www.vansantlaw.com/car-accidents/road-rage/
http://study.com/academy/lesson/road-rage-definition-causes-effects-facts.html
Mcgraw Hill Glencoe Responsible Driving
Do not react or retaliate to the other driver on the road
Think twice before you honk the horn, or make inappropriate gestures
Take a walk before you drive to calm yourself down
Avoid eye contact
Listen to music you enjoy
Plan ahead; allow time for delays during your travels