AAA North Jersey Urges Travelers To Avoid Road Rage And Resulting Driver Confrontations

WAYNE, N.J., April 18, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- As the weather warms and more drivers take to the roads, AAA North Jersey reminds motorists to remain calm and in control when driving to avoid incidents of road rage and driver confrontations.

"In the past few weeks, we have noticed that road rage incidents are increasingly in the news," said David Hughes, President and CEO of AAA North Jersey.  "With a record number of travelers projected to be on the road this summer, we want our members and other drivers to resist aggressive driving behavior and remain calm if confronted with an aggressive motorist."

A survey conducted last year by the national AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reported that nearly 80-percent of motorists expressed intense anger or aggression while driving.  Additionally, respondents to AAA's survey cited purposefully tailgating, yelling at another driver, and getting out of the vehicle to confront other motorists as common occurrences witnessed while driving.

"We need to consider how we react to other motorists' aggressive driving behaviors," said Hughes. "The first and only step to remember is to avoid punishing or 'paying back' another driver for a real or perceived slight."

Hughes offers these tips to help prevent road rage:

• Don't Offend: Never cause another driver to change their speed or direction. That means not forcing other drivers to use their brakes or turn the steering wheel in response to something you have done.  If an inadvertent offense occurs, acknowledge the mistake with a quick wave.
• Be Tolerant and Forgiving: People make mistakes while driving. Assume a motorists' indiscretion is just a lapse in judgement and nothing personal.
• Do Not Respond: Avoid eye contact, don't make gestures, maintain space around your vehicle and contact 9-1-1 if you feel threatened or harassed by another motorist.

AAA North Jersey is reminding drivers that in New Jersey, drivers can call the #77 Aggressive Driver System to report incidents of road rage.  Instances of road rage are filed and prosecuted as third-degree crimes, punishable by fines or a prison sentence of 3-5 years.

For more information on highway safety, please visit https://www.aaafoundation.org/.

SOURCE AAA North Jersey

Related Links

http://www.aaafoundation.org

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