Aggressive driving can become road rage. What should you do when confronted by an aggressive driver?
- Speed up to pass the driver as quickly as possible
- Be prepared to yield the right of way ✓
- Drink alcohol to calm yourself down
- Make eye contact with the driver
Answer: B. Be prepared to yield the right of way
When an aggressive driver confronts you, be prepared to yield the right of way rather than insisting on it.
Why this is the answer
The manual tells you that having the right of way is not a complete right. If another driver is behaving aggressively, do not answer with the same behavior; be ready to give up the right of way to other highway users. Waiting a few seconds for that driver is far better than risking a crash. The manual also says to stay calm and avoid eye contact, since an aggressive driver may read eye contact as a challenge. The point is to keep the situation from growing into something worse.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Speed up to pass the driver as quickly as possible — Increasing your speed to get past an aggressive driver is the same aggressive behavior the manual warns you not to copy, and it raises the chance of a crash.
- C. Drink alcohol to calm yourself down — Alcohol is listed in the manual as something impaired and reckless drivers use, and drinking never helps you stay calm and alert behind the wheel.
- D. Make eye contact with the driver — The manual says not to make eye contact with an aggressive driver, because that driver can take it as a challenge.
Remember it
Treat the right of way as something you can hand over: a few seconds lost beats a crash.