Hot weather can lead to spike in road rage incidents
Posted July 10, 2014 7:40 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – The usual summer stresses are emerging, including how to keep your children occupied and where you should take your family on vacation.
But another issue can crop up every time you head into your commute: Hot temperatures leading to even more stress behind the wheel.
Psychologist John Vavrik with ICBC says heat can create more aggression for us because we are feeling uncomfortable and have less patience. “When you expect to get home in a certain amount of time and all of a sudden you are blocked and your progress is blocked, that can definitely lead to anger.”
Vavrik says another key factor is that many drivers will have their windows down. That makes you more exposed to noise and smog, which could make you more irritable and prone to anger while on the road.
He tells us it’s important to make sure you are not taking out what has happened at work or home on others once you get behind the wheel. You need to recognize you are feeling impatient and nip it in the bud.
“If… you go through this back and forth, give the finger to a guy, then he rolls down the window and gives you the finger, next thing you know, you are yelling at each other. Next thing you know, you are getting out of the car. That escalation is very problematic.”
Vavrik says the number one thing you can do is become more self-aware and learn what sets you set off so you can try to control your emotions.
He warns if you do let your anger get the best of you, you could be in breach of your insurance contract and your claim could be denied.
