What is the current status of anger and stress management services for veterans—and how can we help?
February 10, 2020
Road rage on the 405
March 10, 2020
Whether you live in the heart of a major city such as Los Angeles or San Diego, or you happen to live in a smaller city on the outskirts such as Riverside or La Jolla, you likely know all too well that it doesn’t matter where you live in Southern California—road rage is a very apparent and scary reality.
However, despite the term ‘road rage’ being one that is typically used to describe what leads to some of the most horrendous stories in our society, not all road rage incidents lead to death or disaster. In fact, the truth is that almost all drivers have likely been angry or aggressive on the road at one time or another. According to The National Law Review, in California alone, “Three percent, or 5.7 million people, admitted to slamming or bumping other cars in road rage incidents while another 7.6 million admitted that they had gotten out of their cars to confront other drivers.”
Recognizing that this is more common than we may have previously thought, how can we counteract road rage triggers and incidents in Southern California moving forward? To answer this question, let’s take a look at some of the best ways to eliminate road rage catalysts below as recommended by the anger management team at Breakthrough Innovative Group.
1. Don’t Engage in Road Rage Situations
One of the first things that you should understand when involved in any form of a road rage incident is that engaging and pushing the situation only makes matters worse. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, “If another driver is yelling or gesturing, it is important to simply ignore them and not to engage in a fight. If you have angered another driver, you should try to stay away from him or her as an angry driver can suddenly snap. Never pull over to the side of the road. Simply try to fall back and put a substantial amount of distance between your vehicle and the angry driver’s car and then get away from the area quickly. You should also call for help if another driver is attempting to fight with you or is following you. If you do not have a cell phone with you, go to a busy convenience store and make the call from inside of the store using the clerk’s phone.”
With this being said, if you are the driver that is currently angry or aggressive on the road, your best bet is to simply slow down, breathe in and out calmly, center yourself in your car, and even possibly pull over if the incident becomes too much for you.
2. Do not use Your car as a Weapon
The next rule of thumb for drivers that are experiencing anger or frustration on the road is to never utilize your car as a weapon. What many people tend to forget is that their car is not a fist—or even a knife for that matter.
The average car weighs 2,871 pounds and is comprised of metal, flammable materials, and glass. When these vehicles are used as weapons, you not only run the risk of injuring yourself and the other individuals in the road altercation but also innocent drivers and bystanders as well.
Instead, if you find yourself wanting to run someone off the road, veer into another car, or drive irresponsibly so as to cause an accident, simply remember that ten seconds could be the difference between life and death. It is always better to simply collect yourself and move on with your day for that reason alone.
