Driving includes its share of frustrations, including slow drivers, tailgaters, traffic jams, road construction, and bad weather. Any of those is maddening enough. Introduce conditions such as job or relationship troubles, and the situation can become even more explosive. The good news is that if you struggle with road rage issues, a few tips can help restore some peacefulness to your life.Buy a Different Car
Sometimes, road rage occurs because you’re just so frustrated with your car. It keeps throwing up issue after issue with no end in sight. In these cases, make a plan to buy a car such as a new Ford for sale.
You might not be able to afford a replacement vehicle right away, but planning, budgeting, and saving up for it gives you a tangible reminder that the end to your car problems is in sight. That may help temper road rage incidents.Plan Ahead
Being about to miss a flight or an important meeting can lead to episodes of road rage. To counteract these, leave earlier. It’s well worth the schedule tweaks you’ll need to do. For example, setting your alarm for earlier may mean an earlier bedtime, which may mean having to record your favorite show instead of being able to watch it live.Give Other Drivers the Benefit of the Doubt
People often justify their own aggressive behaviors. For example, you were about to miss a meeting, so of course you had to speed up. What you might not have noticed is that you cut off another driver.
If someone is cutting you off, driving slowly, or tailgating you would prompt gnashed teeth and wails of frustration, try to give that person the same leeway you give yourself. Maybe the driver is trying to get to the hospital for an important surgery. Drivers usually don’t do what they do to annoy you specifically.Practice Good Habits
With good habits such as maintaining a safe following distance and going hands-free, you reduce your chances of suddenly being thrust into a frustrating situation. Other tips include those:
- Check traffic and weather conditions before starting your trip.
- Avoid rush hour.
- Keep an eye on other drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists. Try to anticipate their next moves as well as potential hazards.
- Listen to music or audiobooks in heavy traffic so you don’t get frustrated, but don’t distract yourself too much.
- Meditate in your free time to build a reservoir of calmness, peacefulness, and mindfulness.
Focus on De-Escalation
What if another driver with road rage tries to engage you? In these cases, focus on techniques such as taking deep breaths to calm yourself and avoiding eye contact. Let the other driver pass if necessary.
It can also be helpful to wave in apology if you accidentally caused frustration. This can be hard to do because, often, the fault may rest entirely with the other driver. However, being apologetic, even when it feels unjustified, can save so much trouble.Keep Calm As You Drive
By focusing on becoming a calmer driver, you should eventually be able to stop behaviors such as excessive honking, speeding, and cutting off other drivers. You should be a much happier person overall for these efforts.
