Limit Your Own Aggressive Driving Habits
If you think your own driving habits could use some refinement, focus on safety first. Eliminate driving distractions, such as your cell phone or fiddling with the stereo, and concentrate on the road. Give yourself extra time to get where you are going so you do not feel rushed, and try to move with the flow of traffic rather than hurrying to your destination.
Running yellow lights is hardly worth the risk, and you also need to make sure you come to a complete stop. As you move with the flow of traffic, allow other vehicles to merge in front of you when possible without causing unnecessary congestion.
Tailgating is another factor that often causes contention among drivers. Most drivers cannot stand having people “ride their bumper.” Do not follow other vehicles too closely. A good rule of thumb is to keep other drivers two seconds ahead of you. If another driver is tailgating you and it is causing you to feel unsafe or angry, use your turn signal to pull over. Let him or her go past you, and continue your journey.
Aggression Leads to Anger
One of the biggest temptations of aggressive driving is to show up other aggressive drivers or “teach them a lesson.” Thoughts such as these often lead to poor choices and dangerous driving maneuvers. If someone does something discourteous or dangerous, stay focused on your own vehicle and your surroundings, and be on your way. Do not let other people’s negative actions affect your behavior.
Aggressive driving is infectious. One aggressive driver can infuriate other drivers, and those drivers may then vent their frustrations with unsafe driving of their own. The best thing a reasonable driver can do is to stay focused on his or her own vehicle and driving. Do not try to match aggression with more aggression. That only makes the road more dangerous for everyone.
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