Road rage caused by stress, unmanaged anger, NW counselor says
by Don Owens, reporter

    Drivers’ stress and unmanaged anger often escalate into highway violence and fatalities, a counselor told students on NW Campus recently.

   Larry Kimble presented Stress/Road Rage—How to Survive! as part of a series of personal enrichment workshops sponsored by the NW counseling department.

   Participants completed a stress profile quiz that helped identify driver characteristics and behaviors that reflect driver stress, which can ultimately lead to road rage.

   “When we get angry, we do things we normally do not do. If we are in vehicles, we feel like we are invincible,” he said.

   Anger can escalate into rage in a matter of moments. When someone is in a state of rage, he is no longer in control of his emotions. When an enraged person is behind the wheel of a car, normal activities can become deadly, Kimble said.

   “The most dangerous behavior characterized is the feeling of the need to punish other drivers,” he said.

   This illustrates the false belief that an angry driver is going to teach someone a lesson, Kimble said.

   The driver who acts as policeman, judge and jury believes that he has the right to punish drivers whose motoring threatens, annoys, inconveniences or fails to measure up to his or her self-created standards.

   Anger, already present in this belief holder, escalates when an infraction occurs and peaks as he or she delivers punishment, Kimble said.

   Punishment may be swearing, making obscene gestures, pounding on the wheel or dash, shouting obscenities, blocking an offending vehicle, running the other vehicle off the road or even killing the other driver.

   “Each negative behavior needs to be changed to control our anger,” he said.

   It is rarely helpful to other drivers, or the passengers, for a driver to assume the role of “high executioner,” Kimble said.

   “Relaxation techniques, which include self-talk, deep breathing, balanced nutrition and regular exercise are beneficial,” he said.

   Kimble referred to a People magazine article that said men do most of the shooting and women do most of the ramming.

   According to The 10-Step Compassion Program for Overcoming Road Rage, if confronted by another driver, one should consider his options, pull off at the next exit, get a cup of coffee and relax. Listening to soothing music also helps.