How to Know if You Are the Cause of Road Rage

Most people understand what road rage is. The phenomenon is on the news, it’s in the papers, and stories of it abound online. What some do not understand is that they may be the very real cause of someone else’s road rage. Sure, you may be cool as a cucumber behind the wheel, but are your driving habits causing others to see red? Read on to discover if your driving habits could be the fuel that lights the fire under someone else’s rage.

Tailgating

Yes. We have all been behind the driver who insists on traveling miles under the speed limit. For them, it’s a Sunday drive every day. Let’s face it: No matter how close you get to their bumper, they aren’t going to travel any faster.

Tailgating is one of the top causes of road rage. Keep at least a car’s length between you and the car in front of you. If you simply can’t stay off of their bumper, pass the car when it is safe to do so or head down another street.

Horn

Your car’s horn is meant to be a brief signal to another driver, not an entire conversation. Use your horn sparingly and only when necessary. Like tailgating, laying on the horn isn’t going to make anyone drive differently and may, in fact, make them quite angry.

Headlight Flashing

Unless you are trying to signal that someone’s brights are on or their headlights are off, don’t flash your own. Flashing headlights is not only annoying, but it can distract other drivers.

Switching Lanes

You are not a Nascar driver. The left lane is for passing slower moving vehicles ahead of you. It is not meant to be used so you can weave in and out of traffic going 20 mph faster than everyone else. Stay in the right-hand lane and maintain the speed limit.

Gesturing

Throwing your hands up, giving the one-finger salute, and shooting a death stare at another driver does nothing for you. Did they mess up? Maybe. Did they annoy you? Probably. You never know how the person is going to react to your gestures. Keep them to yourself.

Staying Glued to Your Phone

There is almost nothing that irritates other drivers more than one who is so engrossed in a cell phone conversation that they are a danger to others on the road. You may think you can talk on your phone safely while you drive, but you are wrong. Stay off the phone and pay attention to the road.

If any of these things sound like what you do when you are behind the wheel, you need to take a closer look at your driving habits. You may very well be the cause of road rage.

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