Facing road rage is one of the most stressful and confusing situations that one can encounter on the road—and it can happen in a flash. As such, it helps to know what to do before it happens rather than trying to figure it out while it’s happening. Here are some of the best strategies for dealing with aggressive drivers.
Give Them Space
One of the best ways to combat aggressive road rage is to give the person the space they need. In these situations, your first priority should always be to preserve your own safety at all costs. In most cases, putting distance between you and an aggressive driver will put you out of reach of almost any aggressive actions they could take. Often, simply pulling over into the slow lane should be enough to put enough distance between you and them.
Do Not Engage Them
If escape is not necessarily an option or traffic is at a standstill, it can be hard to give the other driver space. This leads us to our next strategy of not engaging them. Sometimes, even making eye contact is enough to trigger irrationally angry people to do something that could harm you both. For this reason, it is essential that you keep a mental barrier between you and them and refrain from seeking engagement of any kind.
Pull Over
Lastly, if giving them space is not an option, simply pulling over is the best strategy against road rage. Pulling over will force the other driver to either follow you onto the shoulder—at which point, it’s time to call the police—or continue on down the road. However, in these situations, keep in mind that the shoulder of a road is a dangerous place. Exhibit the utmost caution when pulling over and re-entering traffic, and don’t leave your car unless you have to.
Road rage is scary to deal with, as people can be incredibly unpredictable, especially under stress. By exhibiting these behaviors, you ensure your own safety and the safety of those around you! This is why having a strategy for dealing with aggressive drivers can be so important to the average motorist.