Road Rage

Road rage is extreme, violent behavior that some drivers exhibit as a way of releasing frustration related to the actions of other drivers or delays on roadways. A person who has road rage shows aggressive driving behavior such as abrupt and dangerous maneuvers, rude gestures aimed at other drivers and even physical violence upon people and their vehicles. Road rage is typically provoked by and aimed at another driver, though not always. Drivers who experience road rage tend to feel as if their rights have been violated by another driver, and retaliate in aggressive and sometimes violent ways. A driver who is susceptible to uncontrolled rage may be set off by other drivers who cut them off, pull out in front of them, tailgate, or any number of other catalysts. Anonymity contributes to drivers’ overconfidence and sense of freedom to release escalated emotions directed at unknown citizens.

In 1999, two Alabama women from upstanding neighborhoods jostled for position in interstate rush hour traffic for a few miles, their rage toward one another escalating as they inched toward their homes on a regular weekday commute. A few miles later, with both vehicles stopped at a traffic light (obviously neither having gained any ground from their heated race), one woman opened fire on the other, orphaning a four year old child. Cases in which road rage ends in tragic violence are not uncommon. Understandably, road rage is of serious concern to law enforcement, safety officials and the general public due to the threat of violence, accidents, or other harm to drivers and pedestrians.

Not everyone experiences road rage. Most drivers become frustrated with other drivers at times, but road rage is a severe, typically provoked loss of temper that can interfere with the safety of oneself as well as other drivers on the road. While frustration is a passing emotion that most drivers control, forgive and forget, road rage is frustration escalated into fury that hinders logic. Even people who are normally calm and collected can have a short-tempered alter ego behind the wheel.

Road rage is not a lost cause, and is an issue that should be confronted by those who suffer from it. Compassion and patience go a long way in preventing devastating losses brought on by careless road rage. In certain cases, professional counseling can help drivers control their anger toward other drivers, as road rage is often paired with other violent mood disorders. Numerous online forums are dedicated to helping people with habitual road rage vent their emotions anonymously in the company of others who experience the same problems. Controlling road rage should be a high priority for anyone who experiences bouts of this heightened mental state, to help prevent accidents, unnecessary violence and hazards to the public.

About the Author: Greg Chapman, of Greg Chapman Motors, is a leading used car dealer Austin can rely on. For more information, please visit Greg Chapman Motors.