Stay Safe by Avoiding Aggressive Drivers
Wednesday, December 30th, 2009 | posted by: Beth
Do you get frustrated, scared, or lose your cool when other drivers cut in front of you and ride your bumper? Then you have been a victim of an aggressive driver. They are my least favorite hazard on the road. They refuse to stop at red lights; they break the speed limit, tailgate and meander in and out of traffic. They change lanes repeatedly and never use their blinkers, make hand and facial gestures at me, and honk and flash their lights at other vehicles. I am sure you have heard about someone in the news who has lost their cool behind the wheel or even witnessed this behavior in person. Sometimes this behavior precedes violence and causes accidents. Here are some tips for coping with these unruly road rascals.
- Drive conscientiously. Avoid situations which may aggravate other drivers.
- Avoid tailgating.
- Limit inappropriate hand and facial gestures.
- Don’t be tempted to use your horn at aggressive drivers. This only serves to draw their attention to you. Even a polite beep can be misconstrued.
- Avoid making eye contact with aggressive drivers and be sure to leave them lots of room.
- Distance yourself as much as possible.
- Do not attempt to match their speed. This will only anger them further.
- Wear your seat-belt in case you need to make sudden adjustments and it will protect you in an accident.
- Inform the authorities of aggressive drivers. Report the vehicle description, registration plate details and location, along with the direction that they were heading in if possible. The color and make of the car is also helpful, as is anything identifiable about the driver. This could potentially avoid a major accident.
- If an aggressive driver is later involved in a crash, stop a little way from the scene and let the police know about the inappropriate driving that you saw when they arrive.
- Use a phone to give the driver the impression that you are calling 911 and reading their license plate number to the police on the phone. There is a good chance they will stop pestering you.
To stay safe, always ensure a gap of at least 5 seconds between yourself and the car in front of you during good driving conditions. When the car in front passes a fixed object such as a sign, you should not pass the same spot for at least 2 seconds. In poorer driving conditions, increase this to between 4 and 10 seconds. Aggressive drivers will never disappear, but by using these tips, you will be a lot less likely to fall victim to their poor driving.
