Don’t Let Road Rage Get The Best Of You!

Ah road rage, how we love this instant gratification of retaliation to all the drivers who wrong us along our way. But is it worth it? Some may argue that yes, it is worth it – however beyond the obvious that road rage is extremely dangerous, it can also be extremely costly hiking up your insurance rates.

Based on the survey by Harris-Decima, Ontario is the road rage capital of Canada, closely followed by Quebec and Alberta. Because of this Alpine Insurance & Financial would like to provide some tips on how to avoid this very tempting, but dangerous and costly habit.

Give yourself enough time – easier said than done yes, but managing your time properly so you are not rushing to the next destination is paramount to your safety and patience on the road.

Remember no one is perfect – Of course YOU are a perfect driver, but the others on the road are questionable, is what you’re thinking right? Well, everyone makes mistakes so try cutting people some slack before cutting them off the road. In the end, you’ll be safer.

No dirty looks…or gestures – We are adults now. Doing this only reflects poorly on the person doing it and isn’t teaching anyone any lessons.

Tailgating is bad – Why? Because if they had to stop short and you rear-end them, the accident is your fault. End of story.

Avoid playing cat and mouse – If someone is unleashing their road rage on you, don’t fall into the trap. Simply move out of the way of this person and keep yourself safe and calm. Engaging will just add to the aggravation and danger of the situation.

Lay off the horn – The horn is an effective tool in driving, but to honk just to express your frustration with traffic is only going to stress you and everyone else out. It won’t get you there any faster.

Leave some wiggle room: In heavy traffic people tend to drive bumper-to-bumper, but leaving space to stop and go more fluidly and be able to easily pull around the car in front of you will alleviate the stress factor overall.

Ease your grip on the wheel: According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, can cause headaches, and perpetuate stress making a bad situation worse

Listen to music not the traffic: Music affects your mood. Take advantage of this and listen to music that calms you and takes your mind in a positive direction.

Let us know if you have any other great techniques that have helped you avoid road rage! And as always Alpine Insurance & Financial is here for all of your insurance needs on the road!