Online driver profiling and e-driver training provider E-Training World has launched a new training module focused on road rage.
More than two in three (69.5%) drivers in the UK report experience road rage, according to recent research from Comparethemarket.com – and over one in 10 (12%) admit it’s a weekly occurrence for them.
Graham Hurdle, managing director at E-Training World, said: “Road rage can pose a significant threat to health and safety for everyone on the road and put drivers at risk of prosecution. With congestion on our roads increasing, we felt it was important to design a training module that addressed the common causes of road rage and trained drivers in how to react if faced with an angry driver.”
According to the research, the most common cause of road rage is when other drivers do not indicate. Tailgating comes in a close second, followed by being cut up, slow driving and merging at the last minute.
Recommended strategies for drivers to reduce the risk of experiencing road rage include playing cognitive-behavioural games, using breathing exercises or even listening to soothing music. Drivers often get frustrated because they are in a hurry and can’t get to their destination quickly enough because of traffic. Leaving earlier can help drivers feel more relaxed and less likely to react angrily. Keeping a safe distance can also help drivers avoid potential road rage situations.
“Anger often causes drivers to drive faster than normal, to switch lanes erratically, to drive too close to the person in front of them, and to engage in other risky driving behaviours,” Hurdle added. “You can’t control another driver’s behaviour, but you can control your own. How you react to a situation determines what happens next. If you back off, take a deep breath and remain calm, you can defuse a potentially damaging situation.”
The new module is the latest development from E-Training World, which is exhibiting at the 2024 Great British Fleet Event.
Other recent additions include a module specifically designed for adverse weather conditions and tailored advice on avoiding common collision situations.
As well as serving some of the largest fleet operators in the UK, it provides branded/white-labelled systems to many of the best-known companies in the fleet sector. These include insurance companies, fleet management specialists, accident management providers, driver training businesses, vehicle rental specialists and other fleet sector suppliers.
