Many of us will have experienced aggressive behaviour from other drivers, some of us may have experienced similar feelings towards other drivers. The issue is not to deny those strong feelings. We need to learn how to deal with those and with drivers out there expressing those feelings. When traffic is heavy, such as going on holiday during Easter or Christmas, drivers are more aggressive. Below are some tips for dealing with aggressive drivers.1
Ignore aggressive motorists1
When other drivers hurl abuse at you by shouting and showing various gestures, it’s best to resist the temptation to retaliate and ignore such motorists. If a driver is tailgating you, the temptation may arise to touch the brakes to make the driver back off. Unfortunately, this action may lead to serious road rage. What will you do if the driver catches up with you at the next red light and gets out of his car with a gun? Consider the safety of your wife and children in the car. It’s just not worth it. Thus, avoid any direct contact with the driver and continue driving.
How is your driving? 1
Make sure your driving isn’t upsetting others by driving slowly in the fast lane or by not indicating when changing lanes. They may feel threatened and endangered by your driving manners. So, at least you can control what you need to control by dealing with those issues.
Are you moving out of the way? 1
When a driver is almost touching the back bumper of your car, just let them pass you by pulling off the road at the next possible opportunity. But, on the other hand, don’t resort to reckless driving just because you feel pressurised to comply.
Avoid misinterpreting any aggressive behaviour1
Many drivers may show aggressive behaviour because they are under great stress. For instance, their tailgating and swinging from lane to lane may be due to some family crisis or medical emergency.
It helps to stay calm1
It’s easier to put up a tent when it’s calm than when a storm is raging. So, when everything is calm at home, make a point to remind yourself that you need to stay calm. Then, when a storm does arrive and a driver is trying to force you off the road for whatever reason, you will hopefully have learnt to stay calm.
Call for help if need be1
Ensure that the correct emergency numbers are on your cell phone for when an emergency situation occurs. When in such a situation, stay inside your car and keep all doors locked until assistance arrives.
These tips are designed to protect you and your loved ones from any aggressive driver. But, talking about protection, is your car sufficiently covered with the protection that car insurance could provide? Why not make sure? Find out more about affordable car insurance with PMD, which includes unique benefits like fixed premiums* and a reduce to zero excess*. T’s and C’s apply.
Source:
1https://www.frotcom.com/blog/2019/10/top-techniques-dealing-aggressive-driving
This article was prepared by Eric Sandmann in his personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own. The views and opinions in the article should not be attributed to anyone but the author unless expressly stated. Nothing in this article should be relied upon as advice, this publication is presented for informational purposes only. No person should act or refrain from acting in reliance on any information found in this article, without first obtaining proper financial advice from the appropriate professional. The author makes no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, or completeness, of any information linked from, referred to, or contained in this article. The author reserves the right, to edit and change the content of this article.
