How do I Deal with Aggressive Drivers?
It can be very frightening when you encounter particularly aggressive drivers on the roadways. While it is natural enough for tempers to flare up occasionally in situations that involve congested traffic, occasionally you will find that other motorists do not contain their tempers, acting irrationally and perhaps dangerously. While this situation can understandably prove upsetting and scary even to drivers who are long accustomed to navigating the UK roads and avoiding hydroplaning, it is especially intimidating for new drivers. Standard driving education courses will usually address this concern to a certain degree. All the same, it may be wise to consider additional training specified to this circumstance.
One thing you should pay careful attention to is the need to contain your own temper. It is very tempting, especially, again, for relatively inexperienced drivers, to become drawn into a pattern to reactive behaviour on the roads. This is the last thing you want to do, however. When another driver has become noticeably outraged with either you, another nearby motorist, or the traffic situation itself, you will probably naturally feel defensive, and perhaps very anxious to get away. By gathering information on this situation, and perhaps taking advanced courses related to defensive driving, you can help ensure that you remain calm even if other drivers do not.
Recognizing a Threat
First and foremost, you will need to develop the ability to recognize a threatening situation. There are certain pre-established tactics that are supposed to be utilised by those drivers who have an emergency situation and thereby need to operate their vehicles in a non-standard style. Recognising the difference between the behaviour of a driver reacting reasonably to an emergency and a driver who has become unsafely irate is important. One easy standard of differentiation is this: even when speed and an obstructed route to medical care are of the essence, drivers responding to an emergency will usually not display a willingness to put themselves or other motorists in harm's way.
When a driver has given into road rage is no longer behaving rationally, you be able to recognise signals such as repeatedly flashing lights at a driver ahead, driving too closely, or repeatedly honking one's horn. This is also seen in unsafe speeding, changing from one lane to another without properly checking to see if another vehicle is in the way, and much more. When you see these actions, you know that you are dealing with an aggressive motorist.
How You Should React
The single most important consideration for you when you do encounter a driver who fits this description is to ensure your own safety. You should absolutely not attempt to personally correct the driver's behaviour, "teaching the driver a lesson" by obstructing his or her way or another similar tactic. While you also should not unsafely give into the other driver's wishes by such means as speeding to accommodate a tailgating vehicle behind you, you should not challenge the person. Remember that people are not thinking clearly by the time they become wiling to engage in dangerous driving techniques. Any sign of challenge could further enervate an already unsafe driver.
To deal with an aggressive driver, you should get yourself out of the way of harm. Pull over if there is a safe way to do so. Do not respond to any threatening looks, words, or hand gestures. If you have the (safe) opportunity to do so, take down identifying information concerning the offending vehicle so that you can make a report when you are personally out of danger. Avoiding personal confrontation is best in this scenario.