Road rage is a rather broad expression with no single definition. While some people call the act of engaging in rash driving to be road rage, others say the use of foul language or gestures qualifies as road rage. What we can all agree on is the fact that road rage is never good and more often than not, it leads to undesirable consequences.
What causes Road Rage?
There is no debating that driving can be a stressful activity sometimes. Factors like other cars trying to 
take our spot, motorbikes rushing in from just about anywhere, passengers crossing the road at the wrong moment; all combine to make the whole experience a little tougher than it already is. Psychologists Dr. Leon James and Dr. Diane Nahl say that it is easier for us to perceive how other people’s (or drivers’) actions affect us and in doing so; we tend to forget about the communal effects of our own driving. Consequently, we indulge in anger or more specifically, “road rage”.
Dr. James, also known as Dr. Driving, further goes on to say that it is not the traffic or other drivers that really cause the road rage, but the way our culture views aggressive driving.
American kids learn from a very young age that the regular rules to behaving morally and ethically do not necessarily apply when driving- watching your dad aggressively change lanes while he speeds up to reach earlier is one example of how they learn this. Furthermore, we have TV shows and movies that portray fast, rash, driving as an exciting activity.
To complicate matters, there is an unspoken concept in America that anybody who backs away from a fight or an argument is a coward- so every driver feels the pressure to stick around and argue his way through to the end even when there is nobody judging him (or her). And what started is a mere angry person behind the steering wheel may quickly escalate to a road accident. To avoid ending up in an accident, psychologists say, the key is to be aware of your own emotional state and making the ideally right choice when an encounter happens.
Truth be told, road rage is only one among an infinite number of reasons behind road accidents. Let us take a look at few other top causes.
5 other causes for road accidents include:
Distracted Driving
There is a very good reason why we often see road signs that say, “turn cell phones off while driving”- because that distraction of a driver is the number one cause of accidents in the U.S. today. Yes, you heard us right. Not the driver that was speeding and neither the driver that broke the red light; but the driver who looked away from the road.
Speeding
Breaking the speed limit on the highway or on the road is an easy way to get into an accident. Our reflex, or the response time, to avoid causing a potential auto accident reduces as the speed of our car increases and consequently, an avoidable accident occurs due to speed limit negligence.
Drunk Driving
It is common knowledge that drinking impairs our mental activity and blurs focus. It is for this reason that driving under the influence of alcohol is only allowed if your BAC (blood alcohol concentration) is below .08 grams per deciliter of blood. Therefore, it is recommended to take a designated driver with you if you plan to have a few drinks.
Reckless driving:
With movies and shows promoting reckless driving as a positive behavior, the number of reckless drivers on the road is not reducing. Needless car accidents happen left and right because the driver is being careless with the wheel. Impatience due to traffic, unnecessary and aggressive lane changes and tailgating are behaviors that result in easily avoidable accidents. Perhaps, practicing extra caution around aggressive drivers is the best way to keep your own self safe.
Rain
With water on the road, automobiles run the risk of skidding or spinning out of control. Therefore, it is highly recommended that one drives extra carefully if the weather outside is bad. After all, you can’t ever be too careful.
So, how can we avoid accidents altogether?
Perhaps, the most logical way to deal with this is for every person to formally learn how to drive before he or she takes up the wheel. At Jacob’s Driving and Traffic School in Phoenix, Arizona, we provide the highest standard of driving education with the best driving instructors. Safety on the road is a pivotal part of all our courses and every student who joins Jacob’s enjoys a complete driving solution.
Take charge of your roadway safety and join us on our mission to a safe America. Click here to book your seat in one of our driving lessons.
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