Many road accidents and incidents are caused by aggressive driving.
This aggressive driving tends to result in road rage which escalates matters and is a criminal act as it involves the intention to cause physical harm.
The police have provided the following tips to help motorists avoid any altercations between aggressive drivers and yourself.
The first thing you need to do is protect yourself when dealing with an aggressive driver that approaches your vehicle.
Keep your doors locked and contact the police on 10111 or drive to your nearest police station.
At all times, remain polite and courteous and avoid engaging in conflict, physical and verbal. Never underestimate the other driver’s capacity to harm you or damage your vehicle.
Tips for drivers:
- Be a courteous driver – you can set a good example, which can help make our roads safer
- Control your anger
- Avoid making eye contact with an aggressive driver
- Do not make obscene gestures
- Do not tailgate
- Use your horn sparingly, even a polite honk can be misinterpreted
- Do not block lanes (passing, emergency, and fast lanes)
- Do not react to provocation
- Do not change lanes without using your indicator
- Aggressive driving behaviour, which could lead to road rage, may be triggered by:
- Driving too close to the vehicle in front
- Passing vehicles on the left
- Cutting in and out of traffic and failing to signal while engaging in multiple lane changes
- Crossing safety markings while merging onto ramps
- Failing to yield at ramps and intersections
- Violating railroad crossings
- Displaying or using a weapon
- Displaying aggressive or obscene gestures
- Slow moving traffic in fast lanes
- Flashing your headlights at the vehicle in front of you.
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