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Driver on the verge of road rage

Where Is Road Rage The Worst?

May 19, 2016

A new survey has come out listing those states and cities with the worst instances of road rage. This study, using some different methodology has some surprising results compared to studies in the past.

Past studies we have written about were sponsored by AutoVantage, an online insurance company. To conduct those studies, AutoVantage conducted phone interviews with 2500 drivers in 25 major metropolitan areas. The latest study, conducted by AutoInsuranceCenter, another online insurance company, looked at 65,535 Instagram posts that were hashtagged #RoadRage. The results of this study showed where and when the greatest number of road rage incidents were happening.

According to the Instagram posts, the greatest number of road rage incidents occurred:

  • During the month of August.
  • On Fridays.
  • During the hours of 5:00pm and 7:00pm.

Surprisingly, the state with the greatest number of Instagram road rage posts was Hawaii. A vacation paradise isn’t normally what most people would connect with road rage. However, as anyone who lives in a tourists center, like Orlando for example, knows large numbers of tourists trying to navigate around a strange city can be extremely frustrating. Tourists also tend to bring their bad and discourteous driving behaviors with them when they go on vacation and that can also be very frustrating.

The last AutoVantage study listed Houston, followed by Atlanta as the cities where road rage was most likely to be encountered. The new study by AutoInsuranceCenter lists Los Angeles, followed by New York City as the worst cities. Houston and Atlanta fell to eighth and tenth place respectively.

A study that depends on Instagram messages may not be highly accurate because it depends on people posting an Instagram while they’re still angry enough to do something about it. If they were to wait until they got home, they may have calmed down enough to let it go. However, drivers who tend to post on Instagram while driving are probably adding to the problem by not watching the road ahead.

To avoid road rage situations:

  • Pay attention to the road ahead.
  • Don’t use your phone or try to send or read any kind of messages while driving.
  • Don’t speed but don’t drive too slowly either.
  • Don’t tailgate.
  • If you aren’t sure where you are or where you’re going, get off the road long enough to get your bearings so that you don’t hold up traffic.
  • Don’t respond to an angry driver.
  • Don’t try to retaliate against another driver, no matter what they may have done.
  • Don’t stop to confront an angry driver.
  • When dealing with an angry driver, never roll down your windows or get out of your car.

For more information, visit: #RoadRage – Instagram Posts Reveal America’s Biggest Frustrations Behind the Wheel

Aggressive driving

Ask The Driving School Instructor: Aggressive Driving VS Road Rage

July 14, 2014

Question: Is there a difference between aggressive driving and road rage?

Answer: There is definitely a difference between the two. Aggressive driving refers to drivers who seem to be in a great hurry and violate two or more traffic laws at the same time. For instance, an aggressive driver may speed and tailgate at the same time or speed and run a red light. Aggressive drivers are extremely dangerous and if you encounter one, you want to do whatever you can to safely get out of his or her way and let them pass.

While aggressive driving can lead to a road rage situation, being an aggressive driver doesn’t necessarily mean you will become a road rager. Road rage occurs when a driver, for whatever reason, becomes so angry at another driver that he or she wants to physically harm the other driver. Road rage is actually a form of temporary insanity where a driver becomes so enraged that they lose contact with reality and feel it is not only OK to harm another driver but that they can safely get away with it because they feel justified in their actions. Even normally safe drivers can allow themselves to be pushed over that psychological tipping point into a road rage situation if they feel that other drivers are taking advantage of them. Road rage situations happen on a weekly basis in the US and drivers have been killed in all 50 states in road rage incidents.

To avoid a road rage situation, you should be courteous to other drivers at all times. Here are some actions to take to avoid making other drivers angry:

  • Never tailgate another driver
  • Don’t speed but don’t drive slower than the speed limit either if the roadway is clear ahead.
  • Stop at red lights and be ready to go, if the way is clear, as soon as the light turns green.
  • Stay out of the left (passing) lane unless you are actually passing another vehicle and then move back to the right lane as soon as it is safe to do so.
  • If someone wants to pass, help them by pulling slightly to the right and slowing a little to allow them to pass.
  • If someone is tailgating you, let them pass by moving out of their way as soon as it is safe to do so.
  • Don’t cut off another driver.
  • Put down your cell phone and pay attention to the driving situation.

If you feel you may be in a road rage situation:

  • Don’t stop your vehicle unless the traffic situation makes it impossible to move safely.
  • Never get out of your vehicle or open your window to speak to the other driver.
  • Call 911 immediately and tell them of your situation, make sure the other driver can see you on the phone.
  • Don’t try to reason or argue with an enraged driver; they are past the ability to reason and they just want to harm you.