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It’s common to get frustrated behind the wheel from time to time, particularly when faced with careless or reckless driving. The problem is that frustration can often turn to anger, which becomes a danger in itself. One study found that as many as 62% of drivers have experienced road rage at some point, and as many as 30% have dealt with some kind of face-to-face confrontation with other drivers.
It’s easy to assume that road rage is nothing to worry about when so many people experience it, but our ability to drive safely is impacted when we let our emotions get the better of us. Here, we take a look at why road rage is so dangerous and share some tips on how to keep your cool behind the wheel.
What is the impact of road rage?
Road rage isn’t something that just impacts one individual, often, it causes significant damage to many. The biggest risk factors include:
Increased risk of collisions
Driving when you’re in a heightened emotional state, whether it be angry, sad, excitable, or agitated, increases your risk of crashing by 9.8 times. Especially when you feel angry, you can be more likely to adopt aggressive driving practices like speeding, tailgating, overtaking unsafely, and braking suddenly, all of which can lead to accidents. It’s also likely that you’ll be more distracted, which can inhibit your ability to notice hazards and respond appropriately.
Physical altercations
When road rage leads to a face-to-face confrontation, there’s a very real risk of a physical altercation. In the U.S., this is particularly dangerous, with one study reporting that as many as 37% of aggressive driving incidents involve a firearm. That same study found that 218 murders and 12,610 injuries were attributed to road rage across a seven-year period. The statistics are clear – when tensions are running high, it’s easy for confrontations to get out of control quickly.
Health problems
Chronic stress can have a significant impact on physical and mental health because it generates high levels of stress hormones that disrupt natural processes in the body. If you find yourself regularly getting wound up while driving, it could be taking its toll on your health.
Long-term stress can lead to or worsen problems like anxiety, depression, poor memory, insomnia, headaches, digestive issues, and high blood pressure. It can even increase the risk of life-threatening health issues like stroke and heart disease.
How can you stay calm and safe on the road?
It’s clear that allowing yourself to get angry on the road is dangerous for you and those around you, but there are practical steps you can take to enjoy a calmer driving experience – regardless of the actions of others.
Check-in with yourself before you drive
Whether driving, working, or doing anything else, we’re all more likely to find ourselves getting angry if we already feel stressed. Taking the time to check-in with yourself on your emotional state before setting off can be a great way to be more mindful about common frustrations such as running late, being stuck in traffic, or getting lost on unfamiliar roads.
Another helpful way to avoid these problems is to plan your route in advance and give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination. You may not always be able to avoid delays entirely, but having a deeper understanding of your feelings and current state of mind can help you to tackle them more positively if they arise.
Listen to soothing music
Music can have a profound impact on our mood and behaviour, so it stands to reason that fast-paced, energetic, or aggressive music might contribute to road rage. If you often feel tense while driving, you could try listening to calmer, more soothing music with neutral lyrics to relax yourself and reduce the risk of getting angry.
Pull over and calm down if necessary
If you find yourself feeling stressed behind the wheel, the smartest thing to do is to pull over as soon as it is safe to do so and take a few deep breaths until you feel calmer. This strategy is also very effective if your anger was triggered by the actions of another driver, as it puts some distance between you both – eliminating the risk of initiating or engaging in a confrontation.
Stay calm to stay safe
Staying calm behind the wheel is essential to keep both yourself and others safe. Keep these tips in mind next time you’re driving so you can enjoy a calm trip, no matter what challenges you may face on your journey.
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