| Are you driving under the influence of impaired | | | | aggressive driving behavior. |
| emotions? | | | | WHAT CAUSES AGGRESSIVE DRIVING |
| Dateline: December 4, 2002. Orange County ,California. | | | | BEHAVIOR? |
| A 29 year old man was shot to death, an apparent | | | | While there is no one standard definition for aggressive |
| victim of road rage. According to newspaper | | | | driving, many psychologists see anger as the root |
| accounts, he had a reputation for never backing down | | | | cause of the problem. Regardless of the provocation |
| from a fight. | | | | or the circumstances related to problems on the road, |
| The man and his half brother were heading home | | | | it is ultimately our emotional state, our stress levels and |
| from a plumbing job when the trouble began. | | | | our thinking patterns that either cause us to drive |
| Apparently, three men in another car zoomed in front | | | | aggressively or lead us to be the victims of others. |
| of their car. These men started hurling profanities and | | | | In short, many of get us get in trouble because we are |
| flashing obscene gestures at the brothers, who | | | | driving under the influence of impaired emotions, |
| returned the insults. | | | | especially anger. |
| Things escalated until a gun was pulled. Rather than | | | | Like drunk driving, aggressive driving is more than a |
| backing down, the man got out of his car and began | | | | simple action or carelessness; it is a behavioral choice |
| walking toward the gunman. Two shots rang out, | | | | that drivers make. |
| missing the man who then continued to walk toward | | | | It is normal and natural to feel angry when certain |
| the gunman until he was shot and killed. | | | | events frustrate us on the road. But, how do you deal |
| While this tragic incidence is illustrative of an extreme | | | | with these angry feelings to cope with the situation |
| case of aggressive driving, there are thousands of | | | | more effectively? |
| lesser cases in the United States yearly. According to | | | | TWO WAYS TO COPE WITH IMPAIRED DRIVING |
| he AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, incidents of | | | | EMOTIONS: |
| aggressive driving have increased by 7% every year | | | | Research clearly shows that reducing stress and |
| since 1990; however, few courts mandate anger | | | | changing your self-talk can help you cope. |
| management treatment for traffic offenders. | | | | 1.REDUCE YLUR STRESS. Driving is emotionally |
| FIVE ZONES OF AGGRESSIVE DRIVING | | | | challenging because unexpected things happen |
| Research by Dr. Leon James at the University of | | | | constantly with which we must cope. We often drive |
| Hawaii reveals five categories of aggressive driving. | | | | under the pressure of time, or the pressure of |
| Which zone do you or a loved one fall in? | | | | congestion and delays which add to our general stress |
| THE UNFRIENDLY ZONE - Example: closing ranks to | | | | level. |
| deny someone entering your lane because youre | | | | Suggestions include listening to relaxing music or |
| frustrated or upset. | | | | educational tapes on the road, leaving 15 minutes |
| HOSTILE ZONE - Example: Tailgating to pressure | | | | sooner, and getting up earlier so you are less rushed. |
| another driver to go faster or get out of the way. | | | | 2. CHANGE YOUR PERSPECTIVE with different |
| VIOLENT ZONE- Example: Making visible obscene | | | | self-talk. As a result of earlier life experiences, we all |
| gestures at another driver. | | | | have automatic thoughts that are generated by our |
| LESS MAYHEM ZONE- Example: Pursuing other cars | | | | mind when certain triggers occur when driving. We can |
| in a chase because of provocation or insult. | | | | change our perspective and thus our angry feelings by |
| MAJOR MAYHEM ZONE - Example: Getting out of | | | | consciously changing this self-talk. For instance, if cut |
| the car and beating or battering someone as a result | | | | off in traffic think something like that jerk may actually |
| of a road exchange. | | | | be a single mother who worked nine hours that day |
| DO AGGRESSIVE DRIVERS SEE THEMSELVES | | | | and is rushing home to cook dinner, help with |
| AS SUCH? | | | | homework, do the laundry and spend a few precious |
| According to Dr. James and his research team, drivers | | | | moments with her children. |
| who consider themselves as almost perfect in | | | | CONCLUSIONS: If driving under the influence of |
| excellence (with no room to improve) also confessed | | | | impaired emotions, you can make a personal decision |
| to significantly more aggressiveness than drivers who | | | | to cope with your angry feelings in a more effective |
| see themselves as still improving. | | | | way. This will help you avoid aggressive driving or |
| What this means is that despite their self-confessed | | | | becoming the victim of another aggressive driver. |
| aggressiveness, 2 out of 3 drivers still insist on seeing | | | | Reducing your stress level and learning to change your |
| themselves as near perfect drivers with almost no | | | | self-talk are effective and powerful tools to cope with |
| room to improve. These drivers see the other guy as | | | | the challenges of driving in our fast-paced society. |
| the problem and thus do not look at their own | | | | 2005 Dr. Tony Fiore All rights reserved. |