STEERING CLEAR OF AGGRESSIVE DRIVING

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STEERING CLEAR OF AGGRESSIVE DRIVING
STEERING CLEAR
STEERING CLEAR
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INTRODUCTION

• Aggressive driving is a major problem on our
  roads and highways AND ITS GROWING!
• 92 of Ontario drivers admitted to driving
  aggressively, the highest rate in Canada
• (Can. Safety Council and the Steel Alliance,
  2002)
• Aggressive driving is involved in more than 1/3
  of all collisions in Ontario
• (Ministry of Transportation of Ontario, 2001)

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WHATare the Costs?

• Aggressive driving has enormous personal, social
  and economic burdens for all of us, including
• Death or serious injury to yourself, family or
  friend
• Loss of income
• Increased costs for auto insurance
• Physical rehabilitation following a collision
• Increased taxes to pay for higher hospital care
  costs
• Increased costs for emergency response agencies
• And more

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WHATis Aggressive Driving?

• Any display of aggression by a driver
• Occurs when drivers take their anger, resentment
  and frustration with them behind the wheel
• Operating a motor vehicle in an unsafe and
  hostile way without regard for others
• Usually a traffic violation that endangers or is
  likely to endanger people or property

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EXAMPLESof Aggressive Driving

• Most drivers know aggressive driving when they
  see it.
• There are 2 main categories
• Impatience and not paying attention
• Power struggles

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IMPATIENCE OR NOT PAYING ATTENTION

• Examples include
• Driving through red lights
• Speeding up at yellow lights
• Rolling stops
• Blocking intersections
• Making unsafe lane changes
• Failing to signal
• Tailgating

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POWER STRUGGLES

• Examples include
• Blocking passing lane
• Refusing to move over to right lane
• Closing a gap or braking suddenly to prevent
  entry
• Making rude gestures
• Honking the horn repeatedly
• Flashing the headlights repeatedly
• Tailgating to punish or coerce
• Failing to yield the right of way

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WHATcauses Aggressive Driving?

• Most researchers believe that there are a
  combination
• of many factors, including
• Frustration with always being pressed for time
• Growing social acceptance of aggressive driving
• Feeling that greater risks can be taken because
  drivers feel more protected or insulated in the
  car
• Crowded roadways from more vehicles and less
  physical space for drivers
• Taking actions of aggressive drivers personally,
  and then paying them back by also acting
  aggressively

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COMMON MISPERCEPTION

• Many people believe that they drive safely, or
  that they have better driving skills than others.

But, the worst driver out there is really the one
who is convinced that they are the best driver in
the world!
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THE DRIVERS CHALLENGE

• We ALL need to
• Accept that we have some responsibility in
  helping to keep our roads safe
• Question whether or not we have aggressive
  driving habits
• Act immediately to improve the way we drive

REMEMBER, the goal is to keep ourselves, our
passengers, other drivers and other road-users
safe.
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HERES WHAT YOU CAN DO

• There are ways to avoid other aggressive drivers
  and there are measures you can take to improve
  your own driving habits.

1. Dont offend
2. Dont engage
3. Adjust your attitude

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1. Dont OFFEND

• Leave lots of room when you merge.
• If someone cuts you off, slow down to give them
  room to merge into your lane.
• If you are in the left lane and someone wants to
  pass, move over and let them by, even if youre
  going the speed limit.
• Allow at least a 2-second space between your car
  and the car ahead so they dont get angry.
• Avoid making gestures that might anger another
  driver, including seemingly harmless
  expressions of irritation like shaking your head.

EXAMPLES
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2. Dont ENGAGE

• Give angry drivers lots of room a driver you
  have offended may snap and become truly
  dangerous.
• Avoid eye contact if the other driver is acting
  angry towards you. This could prevent a situation
  that could get out of hand.
• Dont try to teach an aggressive driver a lesson.

EXAMPLES
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3. Adjust your ATTITUDE

• The most important action to take to avoid
  aggressive driving goes on inside your head.
• Dont make driving a contest by trying to race
  the clock.
• Dont take other drivers actions personally.
  Whatever the reason, it has nothing to do with
  you.
• Practice relaxation techniques like deep
  breathing or counting out loud to 10 when you
  encounter an aggressive driver.

EXAMPLES
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Other ways to Steer Clear of becoming an
Aggressive Driver

• Allow lots of time to get to your destination.
• Accept that you cannot control the traffic.
• Avoid driving when youre angry.
• Listen to soothing music when you drive.
• Use your signals to indicate a turn or lane
  change before you begin to slow down to turn.
• SLOW DOWN - a message thats always worth
  repeating!

EXAMPLES
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SELF-TESTfor Aggressive Driving

• To help you identify aggressive driving habits,
  take this interactive self-test
• www.aaafoundation.org/quizzes

This test gives you a score on four categories of
aggressive driving and then offers suggestions on
improving your driving habits.
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REMEMBER

• We all pay the price for the high costs of unsafe
  driving, individually and collectively.
• The solution starts with what you do the next
  time you get behind the wheel!

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SELF-LEARNING QUIZ
QUIZ
QUIZ
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SELF-LEARNING QUIZ
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• 1. What are the 2 main categories of aggressive
  driving?

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2. We all need to have some responsibility in
helping to keep our roads safe (true or false)
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3. Name at least 2 ways that you can refuse to
engage an aggressive driver.
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Answers
1

1. What are the 2 main categories of aggressive
   driving?

• Two main categories of aggressive driving are
• Impatience or not paying attention
• Power struggles

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Answers
2

• 2. We all need to have some responsibility in
  helping to keep our roads safe (true or false)

True. We need to question whether or not we have
aggressive driving habits, and then act
immediately to improve the way we
drive. REMEMBER, the goal is to keep ourselves,
our passengers, other drivers and other
road-users safe.
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Answers
3

1. Name at least 2 ways that you can refuse to
   engage an aggressive driver.

• Give angry drivers lots of room a driver you
  have offended may snap and become truly
  dangerous.
• Avoid eye contact if the other driver is acting
  angry with you. This could prevent a situation
  that could get out of hand.
• Dont try to teach an aggressive driver a lesson.

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OTHER RESOURCESon Road Family Safety

• Latest Brochures
• Driving Smart
• Playing it Safe on Roads Trails
• Latest Newsletter
• Working Toward Wellness
• (Spring 2003)
• Other Electronic Presentation
• Driving to Distraction