Feature story
You’ve had a bad day, but it’s finally time to head home. You get behind the wheel and traffic’s a nightmare. No one will let you merge into the lane you need. The driver behind you is right on your bumper. Someone honks at you to move the instant the light changes. And when the light does change, the car beside you seems to go from zero to light speed in nothing flat. The signs of aggressive driving are everywhere. In Ottawa, 61 per cent of fatal and major injury collisions between 2019 and 2023 were due to high-risk driving.
What is aggressive driving
This scenario depicts just a few examples of what is considered aggressive driving. According to the Province of Ontario(link is external), aggressive driving includes:
- Speeding
- Tailgating or following too closely
- Cutting off other drivers, or cutting in front and then slowing down
- Refusing to yield the right of way
- Honking repeatedly, or for no reason
- Running red lights
- Excessive lane changes or weaving through traffic
- Passing too close to cyclists
- Stopping on a pedestrian crosswalk at an intersection
How to avoid aggressive driving
You are in control of your own behaviour, but how you react to others may also affect their driving habits, so sit back, turn on your seat warmer, adjust the temperature so you’re nice and comfy and play your favourite tunes as you think about these tips from the Canada Safety Council(link is external) to help you avoid aggressive driving situations:
- Stay Calm Behind the Wheel
- Plan ahead. Allow yourself enough travel time to prevent a time crunch.
- Obey the speed limit. Obeying the speed limit will ensure proper traffic flow.
- Identify alternate routes. Try to find routes that will enable you to avoid traffic congestion on busier roads.
- Just be late. Being late for work or an appointment is better than endangering your life or the life of someone else.
- Drive sober. Absolutely never drink and drive.
- Keep the kids content. With young children, take regular stops and bring plenty of items to keep them occupied.
- Don’t let traffic congestion get to you. Keep in mind that traffic congestion is often a regular part of driving and is best handled with a calm attitude.
- Stay Alert Behind the Wheel
- Sleep. Make sure you get enough sleep before your drive.
- Pull Over. If you’re feeling tired while driving, pull over to a safe place and take a nap or perhaps spend the night in a hotel. There is no better cure for tiredness than sleep.
- Be cautious. If you suspect someone else is driving drowsy on the road, keep alert, drive courteously and don’t get angry.
- Protect Yourself from Aggressive Drivers
- Don’t take it personally. Be polite, even if the other driver is not. If another driver challenges you, take a deep breath and move out of the way.
- Keep your eyes on the road. Don’t provoke an aggressive driver further by making negative eye contact or gesturing. Show them they can’t distract you from driving safely.
- Always be a courteous driver. Set an example for other drivers by always being courteous and driving defensively.
- Take all safety measures. The number one passenger safety precaution is to make sure everyone is properly buckled up.
What to do when aggressive driving happens
The Ottawa Police Service encourages you to report incidents of aggressive driving(link is external). It’s how you can help make Ottawa roads safer. If it’s an emergency and needs an immediate police response, call 9-1-1. For non-emergency situations, you can call the police or report the incident online. You will need to provide:
- Incident: date, time, location, direction of travel.
- Driver Information: driver description (male/female, age, hair etc).
- Vehicle Information: licence Plate (number, province), vehicle (year, make, model, colour, car/truck/bicycle/ any other features (trailer hitch, modified parts etc).
- Details of the incident
- Your information: name, address, phone (home, business, mobile), date of birth.
You can also prevent incidents of aggressive driving by setting a good example for future generations. Our children learn by observing and educating them at an early age through our actions will teach them the importance of being courteous.