Let’s be honest, driving is a stressful experience. Traffic jams, distracted motorists, and automobile problems can all lead to a stressful commute. The way you respond to these stressors will have a major impact on your safety and the safety of other motorists. We’ll discuss the ways in which driving anxiety and highway rage can be dangerous, and what you can do to keep these feelings under control.
What is aggressive driving?
Street rage is the little brother of defensive driving. According to Merriam Webster, street rage is a motorist’s uncontrollable anger which is usually triggered by another motorist’s annoying act. It’s expressed through aggressive or violent behaviors. This anger is usually expressed in the following harmful behaviors:
- Screaming
- Laying on the Horn
- You should not follow too closely the car in front of you
- You can stalk someone who has reduced you off
- Blocking website visitors
- Reduce individuals intentionally
- Leave the car to engage in a physical altercation
- Bumping another automobile
- Rushing
- Weaving via site visitors
- Drive on the sidewalk or median
Even though many drivers are driving less, street rage and road rage frustration is on the rise. The Zebra, an insurance comparison website in 2021, found that while 35% of people are driving less at the moment than they did before the pandemic began, 1 in 5 drivers experience more frustration. Ninety-five percent of those surveyed said they had seen aggressive driving or highway rage in the previous 12 months. However, only 64 percent of drivers admitted that they did it.
What causes this habit?
What is the cause of highway rage?
Highway rage can be triggered by four main factors.
Traffic: No one enjoys being stuck in traffic, but impatient drivers can become irritated more quickly, and minor problems may irritate them more easily.
Anonymity on the road: To some, the highway is like the internet where you can work with someone and then lose track of them. This mindset empowers drivers, making them less likely to be hesitant about honking, gesticulating, or cutting someone off.
Different driving habits: It is horrifying to see a driver who is distracted swerve or drive in an erratic manner. This can lead to resentment towards the driver. It is better to avoid them, or pull over and call the authorities than to confront them.
ImpatienceSome drivers believe their meetings are more important than everyone else on the road, and impatient motorists tend to drive in a dangerous manner.
The consequences of ignoring these road annoyances can be devastating.
Highway rage: Its implications
You may feel that aggressive driving is your only option if something happens on the road which offends you. Highway rage is only going to put you and other drivers at risk. Street rage may lead to car accidents, physical altercations and lawsuits. It can even result in death. It is important to remember that losing your patience for a few moments while driving can lead to lifelong consequences.
Avoiding road rage with these tricks
- It is crucial to leave on time. Consistent tardiness is one of the factors that can lead to unsafe driving. Before leaving, check the traffic reports for construction, crashes and other delays. Allow yourself enough time to reach your destination to avoid driving aggressively.
- Even if the driver in front of you is driving very slowly, tailgating won’t help. In the best case scenario, the driver will ignore you. In the worst case scenario, the other driver will become irritated, and respond.
- Avoid honking when you do not need to. In some circumstances, a gentle honk is acceptable (for example, if you’re sitting still at an inexperienced light in front of you), but honking to express frustration is not effective and irritating for everyone around you.
- Empathy can be a great asset. Don’t take things too seriously. Nobody is perfect, and no one is trying to harm you. If someone is driving slowly it could be that they are lost. You can’t judge a person based on one side of the story.
- Consider enrolling in a class on anger management. An anger management class will teach you how to remain calm under stressful conditions.
Keep away from aggressive drivers
Don’t panic if you are the victim of someone’s road rage. Here are some ways to deescalate a situation.
- Keep your composure. Do not make obnoxious movements, do not brake test and do no block the driver.
- Preserve a secure distance. Keep as much distance as you can from the other driver if they are driving close to your car in an attempt to exact revenge. Avoid accelerating or weaving in and out of traffic to get away from the person. Instead, keep as far as you can without stopping.
- Drive to the nearest police station. If you are being harassed or chased by a driver who is offended, driving into a nearby police station can be incredibly effective. Most likely, they will leave you alone. However, if you persist, you can walk into the police station and tell the officers that a driver is following you.
Nervousness around driving
Drivers can experience anger, while the opposite is anxiety. Anxiety can be just as dangerous as it reduces your ability to make wise decisions while driving. Here are a few common causes of driving anxiety:
Causes
- Earlier automobile accidents
- Get lost on the highway
- Heavy site visitors
- A bad automobile accident on TV or in person
- Accident involving a loved one
- You don’t trust your driving abilities
Panic attacks while driving
If you experience panic attacks from time to time you may be worried about them happening again, especially if you are prepared or in a place where you could endanger yourself or others.
A panic attack is usually caused by a fear of losing control, but worrying about this can make you more likely to have one. While feeling anxious, panicked or harassed while driving does not guarantee that you will panic, it can increase your chances of experiencing an episode. A panic attack can be triggered by worry or by being exposed to something that triggers your anxiety or previous panic attacks.
Driving anxiety signs
Driving anxiety can take many forms. Here are some common signs of driving anxiety:
- Panic or terror that is persistent and often exaggerated and makes you want to leave the car
- Sweating
- Confusion or disorientation
- Shortness of breath and dizziness
- A pounding pulse and rapid breathing
Driving anxiety: Results
Driving anxiety can be just as dangerous as highway rage. Driving while anxious can cause you to be distracted and lead to accidents. This could harm you, your passengers or other drivers on the road.
What you can do to reduce your anxiety when driving
Treatment for a driving phobia involves behavioral therapy. In treatment, “exposures”, or workout routines that gradually increase comfort with the environment associated with the phobia, are often used. Usually, these are driving conditions or physical experiences that occur when driving. Because remedy is often effective, it’s essential to seek help as soon as possible. Not only does a driving fear hinder your everyday activities, but it also increases your risk of getting certain health issues such as heart, lung, cardiac and vascular illness. Researchers recommend therapy to reduce this risk.
There are always dangers on the highway that you can’t control. you cancontrol is how you react, and having good automobile insurance. No matter what the world throws at you, Auto insurance policy has your back. Find out if you are covered in your area and request a quote today.
