Road Rage and Accident Probability

Road Rage and Accident Probability

what is "Road Rage
?

"Road Rage" is a term that is believed to have originated in the United States. In its broadest sense it can refer to any display of aggression by a driver. However, the term is often used to refer to the more extreme acts of aggression, such as a physical assault, that occur as a direct result of a disagreement between drivers.

The response to a stressful situation may often be anger. When we are confronted by a frustrating situation we often resort to aggression. This is often no more than verbal abuse. However, there are circumstances in which we may resort to physical violence. In the late 1980s, drivers in the United States, apparently frustrated by increasing congestion, began fighting and shooting each other on a regular basis, victims of what the popular press termed "road rage." There is nothing to suggest that road rage is distinct from any other form of anger. But for many of us driving has become one of the most frustrating activities we are regularly engaged in. In the United States, unverified figures of up to 1,200 road rage-related deaths a year have been reported. There is very little data available on the extent of the problem in the United Kingdom, although there have been increasing numbers of reports of violent disagreements between motorists over the last year.

?What Causes "Road Rage"

.It is likely that the cause of the road rage extends beyond the immediate incident

.Human beings are territorial. As individuals we have a personal space, or territory

The car is an extension of this territory. Indeed, the territory extends for some distance beyond the vehicle.

the defending driver may wish to go one step further and assert his dominance.

?How to Avoid Succumbing to Road Rage

ever assume that an apparently aggressive act was intended as such. We all make mistakes. So don't bite back. If we take an example from studies of animal behavior in the wild, the dominant animal in a group will rarely get involved in petty fights and disagreements. Although confident in his ability to defeat any opponent, there is always the risk of injury.

Finally, draw reassurance from the fact that if you feel that someone is driving like an idiot, everyone else does also.