There are many opportunities presented every day to test this theory, and one of the most trying ones is when we are on the road during the daily commute to and from work.
Have you ever considered how you look and what your behaviour and how you react to situations on the road says about you? Road rage is a common reaction seen amongst many motorists. What you might not know is that both succumbing to and avoiding road rage can impact what you pay for car insurance . As a driver, it is important to remember that your character is on display, and steps can be taken to avoid acting up or engaging in ways which can damage your reputation, even momentarily.
Here’s a short guide on how to deal with a road rage situation and the aggressive drivers you may encounter:
Create your own safe space. Leave enough space between yourself and the cars around you. This may be hard in bumper-to-bumper traffic but try to create enough room to wiggle your way out of a vulnerable situation with an aggressive driver.
Stay in your car. Should you find yourself in a situation where the other driver exits their car to confront you, do your bit to not alleviate the situation by staying in your car and avoiding physical confrontation.
Collect yourself. Once you have gotten yourself out of the situation, as soon as it’s safe to do so, pull over to the side of the road and regain your composure. Try calm yourself down before getting back on the road where you will be interacting with other drivers.
Drive yourself to safety. Some road rage altercations end up in a chase; if that is where you find yourself then it’s best to drive to the nearest police station and get the authorities to assist you.
Apologise. If you find yourself being the one in the wrong, acknowledge your fault and apologise by flicking your hazards or using (polite!) hand gestures before driving off.
Crank up your tunes, not your attitude. Instead of getting yourself worked up by an aggressive, why not let music calm you down? Crank up the music and calm your attitude.
Driving is an extension of your personality, so next time you are behind the wheel, be sure you behave in a manner that will bring about good vibes with other drivers. Remember that road rage incidents are taken seriously, and one bad decision acted upon can be listed on your record as a criminal offense.
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