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Avoid Becoming a Victim of Road Rage
(ARA) - In today's society, we all spend more time in our cars than we'd
probably like. Traffic congestion and seemingly endless road construction delays
can make getting around town extremely frustrating. Chances are you have felt
the pangs of road rage on occasion.
There's no doubt that there are a fair number of discourteous and just plain bad
drivers on the road. Aggressive driving, such as speeding, tailgating, unsafe
lane changes, failing to signal intent to change lanes, or other forms of
negligent or inconsiderate driving are sometimes accidental or caused by
inattention. However, the acts can be intentional as well. In fact, a recent
study by Farmers Insurance Group shows that more than 10 percent of drivers
admit they have intentionally cut off other drivers or have wanted to force them
off the road during the past year. Of the 1,001 drivers surveyed, 14.3 percent
said they had shouted at or had gotten into a honking match with another
motorist.
According to the Farmers survey, most road rage occurs among younger drivers.
Nearly half of respondents who said they had shouted at or gotten into a honking
match with another driver were in the 18 to 34 age group, which also ranked
highest among those who said they had cut off another driver or felt like
forcing them off the road.
"Aggressive driving and road rage are both truly dangerous behaviors,"
says Jeff Beyer, senior vice president, corporate communications for Farmers
Insurance Group. "They put other motorists and passengers at risk, and
should not be tolerated."
But fighting road rage with anger just adds fuel to the fire. There are too many
instances of road rage turning into a dangerous or deadly situation. For
example, 24 individuals of those surveyed said they had gotten into a fistfight
with another driver, while 37 respondents admitted to having carried a weapon
with them in case of a confrontation with another driver.
Here are some tips from Farmers on how to avoid getting involved in situations
that could lead to road rage:
* Always use your indicators when changing lanes or merging.
* Be courteous. If another driver is signaling to change into your lane ahead of
you, let them.
* Ignore drivers who make angry gestures at you. Separate yourself from them, if
possible.
* If a vehicle is tailgating you, attempt to change lanes and let it pass.
* If you are being followed, drive to a nearby crowded public place and call for
help or drive to a nearby police station. You can also alert police via a cell
phone.
* Never provoke another driver.
"Highway safety officials say that aggressive driving and road rage are
very similar to impaired driving," Beyer says. "Motorists should try
to distance themselves and their passengers from these perpetrators quickly, but
safely."
For more information on Farmers Insurance Group, visit www.farmers.com.
Courtesy of ARA Content