Did you know that there is a rise in road rage that has lead to violence? I was unnaware until I watched one of my YouTube channels that I subscibe to. This lesson will focuse on the rise of road rage and what Scripture says about rage.
Tehilliym (Psalms) 37:8 Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not yourself in any wise to do evil.
Eph'siym (Ephesians) 4:31 Let all bitterness, and wrath, and anger and clamour, and evil speaking, be put away from you with all malice:
Let us look at a few key words.
Wrath: Dictionary.com
strong, stern, or fierce anger; deeply resentful indignation; ire.
vengeance or punishment as the consequence of anger.
Malice: Dictionary.com
desire to inflict injury, harm, or suffering on another, either because of a hostile impulse or out of deep-seated meanness:the malice and spite of a lifelong enemy.
Law. evil intent on the part of a person who commits a wrongful act injurious to others.
What exactly is road rage?
According to DMV.ORG:
Road rage is defined as aggressive or violent behavior stemming from a driver's uncontrolled anger at the actions of another motorist. Some examples include:
Hitting their vehicle with your car.
Running them off the road.
Pulling over, getting out, and engaging in a physical confrontation.
Inciting your passenger(s) to fight the other driver.
Using any sort of weapon to inflict harm on another driver or vehicle.
Oftentimes, aggressive driving escalates road rage. Aggressive driving is an accumulation of illegal driving maneuvers, often resulting from emotional distress. If you find yourself getting angry and upset on the road, try to notice if you're engaging in any of the following aggressive driving behaviors:
Tailgating.
Cutting others off.
Not using turn signals.
Mentally or verbally cursing other drivers.
Speeding.
Honking.
Flashing your headlights.
Brake checking.
How Road Rage Starts
Often, those that we're closest to upset us the most. If you find yourself in any of the following situations, it's important to be especially aware of your emotions and reactions, as they can influence how you behave on the road.
Some situations that can potentially result in road rage include:
Getting fired or into an argument at work.
Arguing with your significant other.
Rushing because you're running late to an appointment.
Scolding your kids in the car.
Who Gets Road Rage
It seems like everyone is susceptible to road rage, but studies have shown that younger male drivers and people with certain psychological disorders are most prone to engage in aggressive driving and road rage. If you fall into these categories, you should be extra conscious of your emotions and actions on the road.
NOTE: Remember, anyone can experience road rage, and you should not discriminate against those mentioned above.
https://www.dmv.org/how-to-guides/road-rage.php
What percentage of car accidents are caused by road rage?
That number has been steadily increasing at a rate of 7% each year. In fact, data gathered by SafeMotorist.com indicates that 66% of recent traffic fatalities can be linked to aggressive driving. More disturbingly, 37% of those fatalities were found to be caused by a firearm, rather than a typical accident.
Which is the most common form of road rage?
According to the survey, 78 percent of participating drivers reported engaging in at least one kind of aggressive driving behaviour in the previous year. Some of the most common examples are: Intentional tailgating (51 percent) Yelling at another driver (47 percent)
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/media-spotlight/201607/how-common-is-road-rage
Headlines form 2018:
Road Rage Incident puts one man in hospital in Kelowna: RCMP say initial findings suggest the fight stemmed from a roadway dispute that escalated to the point both drivers got out of their vehicles and became violent. The 54-year-old man found unconscious at the scene remains in hospital in serious condition. The 37-year-old man who remained at the scene was questioned by police and later released from police custody without charge at this time. https://globalnews.ca/news/4245982/kelowna-road-rage/
Innisfil man facing charges after road rage incident: According to police, the victim, a 71-year-old man from Barrie, told the accused he was going to call the police and followed the 19-year-old man home, where he parked outside of his house.Police say the victim’s car window was then smashed with a wooden bat, sending glass shards into the air, cutting the elderly man’s face, causing minor injuries. Police arrested the suspect and charged him with assault with a weapon and mischief. He was later released on a promise to appear in court.
Oregan man breaks woman's arm, knocks out her fiancee in road rage attack, police say: But instead of passing, Barbeau slammed on his brakes. He stepped out of his truck and punched the back window of Stackhouse’s Kia, shattering the glass, she said. He punched out the driver’s side taillight. Then, he attacked Stackhouse, Bend police said. While Stackhouse’s door was locked, her window was rolled down. Barbeau, Stackhouse said, reached into the window, grabbed her right arm, twisted it and broke it. He punched her in the face, breaking her glasses. Mann stepped out of the car and approached Barbeau to try to protect Stackhouse. But he threw Mann to the ground, where she hit her head and was knocked her unconscious, Stackhouse and authorities said. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2018/06/05/oregon-man-breaks-womans-arm-knocks-out-her-fiance-in-road-rage-attack-police-say/?noredirect=on&utm_term=.78624ff731ab
Video shows man repeatedly ramming jumping on top of car in road rage incident: DOWNTOWN SACRAMENTO -- Cell phone video captured Monday shows a driver repeatedly ramming his SUV into another car before kicking and stomping on the vehicle on 10th and X streets. http://fox40.com/2018/06/05/video-shows-man-repeatedly-ramming-jumping-on-top-of-car-in-road-rage-incident/
Here are shocking road rage statistics you may never have heard.
1. 53% Consider Speeding Normal
Especially at rush hour, over half of all drivers consider driving 10 mph over the speed limit to be perfectly normal. For the other 47%, this is seen as aggressive behavior, which can raise the ire of even calm drivers. Speeding and other aggressive driving maneuvers also significantly increase the chances and severity of car crashes.
2. 94% of Collisions are Due to Human Error The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates over 94% of car crashesare caused by human error. About a third of these can be linked to road rage causes or road rage itself, such as speeding, changing lanes without signaling, tailgating, illegal maneuvers.
3. 50% Become Aggressors
Being the victim of such bad driving habits or driver errors, angered or anxious drivers might themselves respond in kind. Half of drivers admit to resorting to horn-honking, light-flashing, rude gestures, shouting, and aggressive driving after another driver has done it to them.
4. 30 Murders per Year
Every year, about 30 murders are linked to road rage. This is the sad disastrous result of rage-fueled car crashes, the use of firearms to solve traffic disputes, even bringing the violence right into people’s homes.
http://blog.driversed.com/wake-up-call-7-shocking-road-rage-statistics-you-didnt-know/
How to protect yourself from road rage
1. Drop your own road rage. You will make the situation so much worse if you act out on your own rage. You could do something small, then the other driver will do something else, then you'll do something, and it will escalate.
2. Practice defensive driving. There is a good chance that someone on the road is having a bad day, is in a hurry, or driving intoxicated. If you drive defensively, you can avoid being part of those people's bad day.
3. Don't let yourself be distracted. Someone with road rage may become furious if they see you distracted by talking on a cell phone, or doing something else other than driving. Just focus on your driving to give them less of a reason to be upset at you.
4. Don't react to their actions. If someone honks at you, don't honk back. If you get cut off, don't try to cut them off. Reacting is the worse way to deal with someone with road rage
5. Get a camera. There are dash cams that can be installed in your car that can record while you are driving. Most of them swivel, allowing you to turn them to face any direction you want if a road rage incident happens. Most people don't care if they are caught on camera, but a video recording can be insurance for you if they try to claim you did something.
How to deal with being a vicim of road rage
1. Keep calm. In situations where I was the victim of the rage of others, I reacted based on my fear. I could have done better had I just kept calm.
2. Put your cell phone to your ear. Even if you aren't talking to anyone, the aggressive driver will think you are calling the police. Better yet, call the police to advise them what is going on. But keep your eyes on the road.
3. Retain as much information as possible. The make and model of the car. The color of the car. The license plate number. If you have a cell phone, make a voice recording of everything going on. Video would work as well.
4. Don't go home. If someone is furious at you, don't lead them to your home. That will give them a target. Instead, drive around and take varying routes so the person trying to tail you may end up getting lost and giving up. Try to drive to someplace with lots of people, or to local law enforcement.
5. Draw attention to yourself. If you feel threatened, honk your horn, flash your lights, do anything to make others look at the situation. Observers may call the cops, or a cop could see that there is something going on and put a stop to it. https://axleaddict.com/safety/How-to-Handle-Road-Rage
Mishlei ( Proverbs) 29:11 If a wise man contends with a foolish man, whether he rage or laugh, there is no rest.
The times we are in now are strange indeed. People do not know how to handle stress these days. As I drive I tell myself: 'I am heading to "nowhere" really and as long as I get there safe, that is all that matters.' This is true. We are caught in a routine to "nowhere" if we stop and think about it; going to the same places at the same time every day of our lives. Life continues if we are late, or if we drive the speed limit. What is important is that we get to our desitnation safe and alive, otherwise "nowhere" becomes the mourge in some cases.
Video: A Strange Warning To America! Jason A
More information
Surprising road rage facts
Road Rage on the Rise
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