The most likely causes of road rage and how you can avoid it

Road rage is a serious problem in any country, leading as it often does to car accidents as people allow their emotions to get the better of them when they are behind the wheel of a car. If you have suffered an injury due to whiplash make sure you seek medical advice. The problem is that in their anger, even drivers who are normally responsible and reliable forget to follow basic rules of the road designed to protect their safety and that of other motorists and pedestrians. The fact that the lives of those using the roads are at stake suggests that road rage is something that we should be doing everything possible to understand and overcome.

There are a number of likely causes of road rage, including bad time management, which makes delays when on the road stressful; provocative behaviour – whether deliberate or accidental – by other motorists, such as cutting off drivers and slow driving; or simply developing a negative impression of another motorist. The anger that develops as a result can lead to a motorist deliberately ramming another driver, trying to force another car off the road, or simply to exchanges leading to physical violence. These results do not only put the two motorists directly involved at risk, but also others on the roads and pedestrians, who may have nothing to do with the incident.

It is possible to counteract the issues that lead to anger building up, in order to prevent situations from escalating beyond your control. The key is for all drivers to try to remain aware of other motorists when behind the wheel, thus avoiding inappropriate behaviour – such as cutting off other drivers. However, acknowledging that almost all drivers indulge in such thoughtless actions occasionally, it is important not to respond aggressively when it happens to you, but try to shrug it off instead. Ultimately such incidents are minor annoyances and scarcely worth the risks to life potentially created by turning them into a full-blown battle.