Car Courtesy Could Save Your Life
19 September 1997
Car Courtesy Could Save Your Life
SAN FRANCISCO, Sept. 19 -- Beware of aggressive drivers,
warns AAA.
With BART ridership still below normal, roadways remain more crowded than
normal. Drivers are speeding to baseball games, getting stuck in road
construction, or commuting to work. Every person behind the wheel could be a
victim of road rage.
"Congestion is undoubtedly a factor in the increase of road rage
incidents," said Bronwyn Hogan, spokeswoman for AAA in Northern California.
"AAA wants to put the brake on road rage during stressful traffic situations."
The AAA foundation for Traffic Safety has suggested some reasons for this
road rage phenomenon. Drivers fail to adhere to the rules of the road.
Increased congestion plays a role in rising tempers. Some of the worst cases
of road rage occur when traffic is so heavy there is nowhere to go. Gestures
and aggressive behavior degenerate into violent physical attacks when the
drivers get out of their cars.
"Driving during increased congestion limits speed and movement, and
further stretches out an already long work day," explained Officer Sherrie
Sarna of the California Highway Patrol Transportation Management Center. "The
potential to act aggressively occurs when the commute snarl tightens."
AAA offers these tips to avoid road rage:
* Consider altering your schedule to avoid the worst congestion.
* While in traffic, concentrate on relaxing.
* Check with your employer to see what options are available to ease the
stress of commuting. Many companies offer flex-time hours, as well as the
possibility of telecommuting.
* Pursue alternate methods of transportation.
* Avoid conflict if at all possible. If you are challenged, take a deep
breath and get out of the way, even if you are right. You don't want to be
dead right.
The AAA affiliate for Northern California, Nevada and Utah serves
3.7 million members with an array of automotive, travel and insurance
services.
SOURCE California State Automobile Association
