Everything You Need to Know with BSM

As a new driver, you have plenty to think about as you enjoy the freedom that having your licence brings, but one thing that you need to be aware of is road rage. Safe driving relies on everybody following the rules of the road to the letter, however, nobody’s perfect and we can all make mistakes from time to time.

What you need to be mindful of is the fact that if you spend enough time driving, you will almost certainly make a minor error along the way. Unfortunately, these often harmless errors can be taken personally by other drivers and this can lead to aggressive behaviour being focused in your direction.

It’s something that has happened to all drivers at some point and the key is always to remain calm and do everything you can to de-escalate the situation. If you retaliate by showing your own anger at what the other driver is doing, all you’re going to do is make things worse.

Road rage is one of the worst behaviours that any driver can show on the road if for no other reason than it’s really dangerous. When you learn to drive, you’re taught to remain in control at all times and fully concentrate on getting where you’re going safely.

When you let your emotions get the better of you, you lose the ability to think rationally, including making sensible driving decisions. This is something that many drivers forget over time, which has led to an explosion in road-rage cases over the last ten years.

Road rage can be really scary when you’re on the receiving end, as someone is literally putting your life in danger. It can take many forms too and whilst it might feel natural to respond, you need to keep your cool for the sake of safety.

Drivers can show road rage by:

● Getting out of their car to confront you
● Cutting you off, making you brake sharply
● Gesturing rudely towards you
● Repeated sounding of the horn
● Shouting at and intimidating you
● Intentionally tailgating your vehicle

People often behave in a way behind the wheel that they never would outside of a car, so you need to be conscious of this and act calmly and diffuse the situation if someone is ever aggressive to you out on the road.

It can be really frustrating when you’re in a hurry and the person in front of you is driving at 20 in a 40 zone or they cut you off unexpectedly. However, before you do something you’ll later regret, you should remember that there is a human being with feelings behind the wheel.

If you feel your anger rising, you should try counting to 10 in your mind and controlling your breathing so that it subsides, keeping safety firmly in your mind. The good news is that you can take defensive driving classes to help you better deal with this kind of situation.

Your BSM instructor can help equip you with everything you need to know to drive safely, including learning how to keep your cool in heated situations like these. They’ll have you able to take problems like road rage in your stride and reduce the chances of it causing an accident.

Road rage is on the rise, however, that doesn’t mean that it has to happen to you. Take the right actions when you spot the signs and you’ll diffuse the issue every time.