Have you ever witnessed road rage in action? Have you been the perpetrator of road rage on another? Driving is certainly stressful. It’s no wonder why road rage is common. In fact, driving a car is probably one of life’s biggest stress-inducing activities.
This tip will help reduce stress while driving and help you keep road rage under control.
Many recent scientific studies have shown that congested traffic conditions can heighten stress levels in drivers. The longer the distance one has to drive, the more dramatic can be the level of a person’s stress. And when stress levels rise while driving, road rage can easily occur.
When experiencing stress, you may be affected totally—not only in your body but also in your emotional reactions, your personal thoughts, and your relations with others. This is when road rage transpires.
You Can Say NO to Road Rage
Sometimes, it takes an unwanted experience to change driving habits. I know this from an experience I had after receiving a California Highway ticket a few months ago.
Southern California freeways have carpool lanes for two or more riders. These lanes can only be crossed when the pavement has spaces between white lines. Crossing a solid line can result in a very expensive traffic citation. As I was impatiently driving in the fast lane in heavy traffic and saw the opening to move into the carpool lane about 20 feet ahead, I crossed a solid line. MISTAKE! The fine cost me hundreds of dollars plus time spent taking a driving course (online) so that there would be no negatives on my driving record. While I did not resort to road rage, I experienced much stress.
The effect the experience had on me—especially so that I would not get another ticket for the next 18 months—was that I now drive slower, don’t change lanes as often, refrain from tailgating, and have a mindset to enjoy all of my driving experiences.
Tip: Driving need not be stressful if you maintain a mindset of enjoying the experience.
You can get many more empowering tips like this one in my award-winning book, Live Without Stress: How to Enjoy the Journey. Buy one and get one free as a gift. You will not want to depart with your own copy. Be sure to check out the Without Stress Facebook Group where you can connect with other life-minded people on a journey to reduce stress.
