You may want to think twice before honking the horn while driving. A study shows violent road rage incidents have doubled in recent years and more troubling for us, Florida leads the pack in road rage incidents ending in gun violence.
According to AAA, nine out of ten people believe aggressive drivers are a serious threat to their safety. Knowing how to diffuse and prevent road rage is key! When confronted with aggressive drivers:
- Be the bigger person: if they're tailgating- move over, or if they yell at you- don’t acknowledge and keep your distance. Definitely do not yell back.
- Admit your mistake: if you cut someone off by mistake or block an intersection, use the universal “I’m sorry” hang wave to acknowledge your mistake.
- Don’t be the tough one: if an angry driver exits their car, lock your doors and call 9-1-1. If you can, note their license plate number.
To avoid being an aggressive driver give yourself some extra time. An extra five to ten minutes can help you get to where you’re going without feeling rushed. Also, practice deep breathing exercises to get you through those tense moments and help you focus on what you can control like the radio. A good audio book or good music may just put you in a good mood.
