How to Instantly Deal With Road Rage
To instantly deal with road rage, de-escalation is key. However, driving on the Botswana roads is NOT for the faint-hearted. Between the potholes, taxis, tuk-tuk e-hailers, tannies and ooms who can barely see, and those big bakkies who think they own the road, experiencing frustration while driving doesn’t take much.
If you don’t want to be a statistic, keep reading because we’re going to show you how to instantly deal with road rage and what tools Cartrack Botswana has to help keep you cool, calm and collected on the road!
From zero to sixty: why do people have road rage?
There are probably a thousand reasons why people have road rage. Common reasons are impatience, running late, reckless driving that puts their life at risk, traffic, and personal anger issues. But it still boils down to two things: a foolish action met with an aggressive response.
Top tips to dealing with road rage
We need to know exactly how to deal with road rage, especially in Botswana, where we have so many people on the road at all times. Things like diffusing the situation, taking deep breaths, using the latest safety tech, and changing your mindset can all help you deal with road rage.
In this article we witnessed a few serious road rage incidents. The suspect cornered the other vehicle and pulled out a firearm, threatening to shoot a police officer who was present during the ongoing road dispute. And another where its become increasingly common in Botswana to see two motorists abandon their cars in traffic or retail parking lots to continue an argument physically.
Depersonalise the conflict
So many times when we get road rage, it’s because we feel like the person doing the aggressive/reckless driving is personally attacking us. But the truth is, they don’t know us, and this could have happened to anyone.
Tip: Remember that they aren’t “out to get you”; they’re probably just stressed out, running late, distracted, or just a really bad driver. Either way, don’t take bad driving behaviour from someone else as something that’s happening to you, but rather as something that’s happening around you.
The 5-second rule
When our stress levels rise and our adrenaline hits, our logical side of our brain shuts off. This leads us to make dangerous and impulsive decisions, and that’s what we need to stop from happening.
Tip: You can’t control those drivers and how they drive and behave. All you can do is control yourself and how you react. So when something happens, stop and take a few deep breaths for 5 seconds. This small delay will assist the logical side of your brain to gain control of the wheel again.
Kill them with kindness
Aggression only feeds off of a reaction. Remember that school bully that stopped the second you started ignoring them? It’s the same here; if you don’t react and just ignore the other driver, you won’t be adding any fuel to the fire, and the situation should simply dissolve.
Tip: Try the “kill them with kindness” technique; it’s a brilliant way to diffuse a tense situation. If someone is making obscene gestures or yelling at you, put your hand up in an apologetic manner (yes, even if it isn’t your fault) or simply ignore them. When you don’t engage in the “fight”, the other driver is most likely to lose interest and move on with their day.
Let tech be your witness
Road rage can occur from the want to be right. But when you have the latest tech in your vehicle, you don’t need to engage further. You have actual evidence to prove your innocence.
Tip: Not only can installing a camera or a telematics system that monitors your driving act as a behavioural anchor for yourself, but you can also use data and the footage to back you up in the event of a reckless driving incident.
Reframe the narrative
When someone is driving like a maniac, we often assume it’s because they’re an impatient jerk. And yes, sometimes that’s exactly what they are, but occasionally it’s not the reason they’re driving like that.
Tip: So change the narrative. What if they just got a devastating phone call or are rushing to the hospital? Imagine the worst-case scenario, and it’ll help you have a more empathetic view on the situation, diminishing your anger.
Know when to disengage
Is your life worth being right or proving a point? Because unfortunately this is how a lot of road rage incidents end—in the unnecessary death of another. This is why it’s important to know when to disengage from a situation.
Tip: Never pull over or get out of your car to confront another driver. Keep your doors locked at all times, and if necessary, drive to your nearest police station to get help. Knowing when and how to disengage can be life-saving.
How Cartrack Botswana can help you instantly deal with road rage
Cartrack can help you instantly deal with road rage by providing you with physical tools to protect yourself. AI-powered cameras, panic buttons, Cartrack Protector, and driver data from our GPS telematics device all work to help you handle road rage incidents.
AI-powered cameras
At Cartrack Botswana we have top-of-the-range AI-powered cameras that can help you immediately deal with road rage. Road rage is usually caused by dangerous driving behaviours, and while you can’t control how others are driving, you can control yours.
Our AI-powered cameras will instantly alert you if you’re distracted or fatigued while driving so you can immediately fix your mistake or know that it’s time to pull over. They’re also fitted with ADAS (Advanced Driver Assistance System) tech.
This tech has the following features:
- Forward Collision Warning (FCW): This will alert you if a crash risk is detected
- Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB): This applies brakes if you don’t react in time
- Lane Departure Warning (LDW): Will warn you if the vehicle is drifting out of its lane
- Blind Spot Detection: You’ll get instant alerts for vehicles in hard-to-see spots
- Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC): Speed is automatically adjusted to help you keep a safe following distance
Having cameras in your vehicles also works as evidence for road rage incidents. You won’t have to fight to prove that you were in the right; you can easily view and download the footage from your Cartrack app!
Panic buttons
If you’re ever in a road rage situation where the other driver is placing your life in danger and you can’t safely get away from them, you need a Cartrack panic button. Our panic buttons are placed where they can be discreetly (but easily) accessed.
Once you push it, our emergency control room is alerted, and they’ll contact you to find out what help you need and then dispatch the necessary emergency teams to your exact location.
Cartrack Protector
Sometimes road rage moves from gestures and shouting to a physical altercation that can leave you or your vehicle in a bad state. This is where Cartrack Protector comes in. You’ll get emergency roadside, medical and legal assistance all at the click of a button on the Cartack app.
GPS telematics
If you’re the one that’s causing road rage in others, having a GPS telematics system in your car can help you identify your driving faults. Driving data is pulled from the telematics system, and you’re then able to pull a report on the Cartrack app.
You can see exactly where and when you’re excessively speeding, braking harshly & cornering. You can then use this data to identify triggers (are you speeding and accelerating harshly every Monday morning to get to that 8am meeting?) and change your habits accordingly.
PS: Aggressive driving not only puts strain on your wear & tear parts, but you also use way more fuel compared to when you drive smoother. And with the current price of fuel, we ALL need to use every drop wisely!
Main goal: Arrive alive, not first
Remember, at the end of the day the goal is to get to your destination safely. Being late or missing a meeting is NOT worth your life or the lives of others. So it’s time to make better choices on the roads in Botswana and be part of creating a safe environment for everyone!
If you’re ready to get the tech that helps keep you cool, calm and collected on the road, then click here and check out our safety solutions for you and your family!
