Many of us have come across an incident on the road that frustrates you, or have seen someone on the road get angry at a situation. We all get mad sometimes, we are human. In reality, the smallest incident causes a lot of risk by making you emotional on the road. Aggressive drivers are dangerous. It can be challenging to keep your cool and prevent yourself from experiencing road rage but it is achievable. Road rage is a very common problem, all over the world. As a professional commercial driver it is vital to remain calm and collective throughout your entire trip. To do that we have put together tips to conquer road rage.
Plan Ahead
Leave a little early to have a few extra minutes to arrive at your destination on time. Planning ahead for the route you would take is a good idea, so you avoid the stress if you hit heavy traffic. In case of a road accident or construction, look up the route you”ll be going if you haven’t been there before to see if traffic around the time you are going is expected. This way when you have the extra time you will arrive calm to your destination.
Rest Up
One of the major reasons for road rage is lack of sleep on the drivers behalf. There’s certain hours you have to work and rest while you are on the road, set a schedule so you have plenty of time to sleep or relax. If you know you have a long trip ahead of you, a good night sleep important for your well-being.
Turn Down Your Music
Turning down your music, you want to be cautious of your surroundings. If your music is too loud, it can distract you from what is happening on the road. The type of music you listen to will also play a big part on your mood and emotions, calming music could put you in a calmer state of mind.
Laugh It Off
Laughing is known for a good mood, its increased endorphins leads to happiness. If you feel like road rage is building, you should try laughing off the situation & moving past it. We can only control so much out of our day, if it doesn’t seem like a very serious incident, we can put it off to the side of our mind and forget about it. Try laughing next time.
Avoid Negative Body Language
Any gestures, shouting, “flipping the bird” could cause a more serious issue. Obscene gestures are usually best avoided at all costs. It could provoke other drivers to get upset and the situation could result in a physical altercation. You can also traumatize a younger child that could possibly be in another vehicle watching the behavior.
Take A Deep Breath
You don’t necessarily need to be an expert on meditating to practice breathing. It sounds easy, but simple breathing exercises when practiced often can benefit you in controlling your road rage. If you feel overwhelmed and frustrated try taking some deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth slowly. Most situations cannot be resolved with anger.
Practice Safe Driving Techniques
These would be the 7 tips to conquer road rage, as there are other techniques, everyone should find what works best for them. The CDL Manual suggests the following for remaining patient in tough circumstances:
- How you feel before you even start your vehicle has a lot to do with how stress will affect you while driving.
- Reduce your stress before and while you drive.
- Listen to “easy listening” music.
- Give the drive your full attention. Don’t allow yourself to become distracted by talking on your cell phone, eating, etc.
- Be realistic about your travel time. Expect delays because of traffic, construction, or bad weather and make allowances. If you’re going to be later than you expected – deal with it.
- Take a deep breath and accept the delay.
- Give other drivers the benefit of the doubt. Try to imagine why he or she is driving that way. Whatever their reason, it has nothing to do with you.
- Slow down and keep your following distance reasonable.
- Don’t drive slowly in the left lane of traffic.
- Avoid gestures. Keep your hands on the wheel. Avoid making any gestures that might anger another driver, even seemingly harmless expressions of irritation like shaking your head.
- Be a cautious and courteous driver. If another driver seems eager to get in front of you, say, “Be my guest.” This response will soon become a habit and you won’t be as offended by other drivers’ actions.