Glendale Nissan Official Blog

Tips for Dealing With and Responding to Road Rage 

We’ve all experienced road rage on the highway before. Whether it was ourselves who were the ones getting angry or another driver, tempers can flare when you’re in a hurry and traffic just doesn’t seem to be working out for you. But, it’s important that you consider some tips for dealing with your own stress on the road, as well as responding to other drivers with road rage. 

After all, it’s in the best interest of everyone’s safety if we all remain cool and calm. That is sometimes easier said than done, however, so here are some things that might help you out. 

[Read more: These are the top 7 mistakes new car buyers make] 

How to Manage Road Rage Situations 

1. Leave early: Many of us will only leave for work when we need to, but that can result in traffic making us late and our stress levels rising. Instead, leave 5-10 minutes early, and you’ll notice that it’s a much more relaxing way to start your day. 
2. Recognize that some people are simply a little crazy: If you’re ever tempted to lash out at someone on the road, stop yourself by coming to the conclusion that some people are simply angrier and wilder than you are. You may start the interaction with a horn beep, but others may take that and escalate it into something far worse. 
3. Offer a friendly wave: If you’re in a situation where another driver is mad at you, even if you did nothing wrong, a simple wave can help ease tensions. Don’t lash out at them or make the situation worse. Instead, give them a friendly wave, which essentially tells the other driver you understand they’re upset, you apologize if you did something wrong and that the situation is now over. 
4. Let tailgaters pass: One of the most common forms of road rage, and one of the most dangerous, is tailgating. Tailgaters basically just want you to go faster, but don’t give in and put yourself in danger by speeding. Instead, either move into the slower lane or slow down just slightly as a means of encouraging them to pass safely. That way, you aren’t speeding up to match speeds and you can make it easier for them to pass and keep everyone safe. If that doesn’t work, just pull over or turn into a side road and let them go by before proceeding. 

As you can see, dealing with road rage isn’t necessarily difficult. It just requires us all to have a little patience and calmness. Check back to the Glendale Nissan blog for more tips and tricks. 

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