April 2007:
In
This Issue:
News: No One is immune to
Road Rage…Even Police
Driver Safety: Don’t Become
a Victim of Road Rage
DYK???
Comic Relief
News
Road rage can affect anyone,
even the cops. A Greenville, NC police officer was found guilty this week on
charges stemming from a road rage incident that occurred in February. The
officer was sentenced to 120 days in jail for brandishing a firearm and
following too closely. Read the shocking full article here.
Driver
Safety
Many
people don't realize that a vehicle can legally be considered a 'lethal weapon'
if intentionally used to harm other motorists. According to AAA, an average of
at least 1,500 men, women, and children are injured or killed each year in the United States as a result of "aggressive driving."
The
following are just a few easy measures that you can employ to reduce your
chances of being run down by an angry driver:
· Use your turn signal
- In addition to using your turn signal to communicate your intentions to
change direction, it is also a courtesy to the other drivers. Failure to use
your turn signal before turning or changing lanes can catch another driver off
guard and may anger the other driver.
· Don't stop in a
traffic lane next to another car to ask for directions or chat with friends -
You may get the drivers behind you angry because they may be unable to get
around you.
· Don't make
unnecessary eye contact with aggressive drivers - If a driver cuts you off,
it's important not to make eye contact with them because they may think that
you want to get even. Your best bet is to ignore the aggressive driver and not
take their actions personally.
· Don't drive slowly in
the fast lane - In many states you can only drive in the fast lane when
passing. However, in all states you should move into one of the slower lanes if
you are not able to maintain the speed limit. Drivers in the fast lane have a
tendency to want to drive faster and therefore may become impatient and angry
with you.
A
good way to avoid becoming a victim of road rage is to treat other drivers the
way you would like and expect other drivers to treat you. Therefore, being
courteous to other drivers is the best strategy.
DYK???
While
the numbers are very close, men are more likely to rage on other drivers than
women (54% vs. 46%). In addition, drivers age 18-24 (67%) rage more often than
drivers 65 and older (30%). Drivers with children are more likely to respond
aggressively (59%) versus those without children (45%), and cell phone users
(59%) versus those who do not use a cell phone while driving (39%).
Comic
Relief
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