If an aggressive driver cuts you off, you should:
- Call the police immediately.
- Stay calm and move out of the aggressive driver's way. ✓
- Flash your vehicle's lights to let the aggressive driver know he is wrong.
- Use a driving action of your own to get back at the aggressive driver.
Answer: B. Stay calm and move out of the aggressive driver's way.
Stay calm and move out of the aggressive driver's way.
Why this is the answer
The Texas handbook's road rage tips tell you not to get angry when traffic situations frustrate you and to relax instead. It also says you should not confront other drivers. Getting out of an aggressive driver's way fits that advice: you avoid a confrontation and put distance between yourself and someone who may be driving to aggravate others. The handbook describes aggressive drivers as people who become angry, fail to follow the rules of the road, and may intentionally provoke other drivers.
Why the other answers are wrong
- A. Call the police immediately. — The handbook does say to report aggressive driving to local authorities, but it does not tell you to call the police right away while you are still in the middle of the situation; the immediate advice is to avoid confrontation.
- C. Flash your vehicle's lights to let the aggressive driver know he is wrong. — Flashing your lights at the driver is a form of confronting them, which the handbook's road rage tips specifically tell you not to do.
- D. Use a driving action of your own to get back at the aggressive driver. — Taking your own driving action to get even is exactly the kind of confrontation and retaliation the handbook warns against.
Remember it
Treat an aggressive driver like a hazard, not an opponent: back off, let them go, and keep your cool.
Official handbook: Texas Driver Handbook (DL-7), Chapter 14: Additional Safety Tips , p. 66