Swift Relief from traffic jams and road rage

Avoiding stress on the roads could be as simple as making eye contact, according to research by author and automotive expert Thomas Vanderbilt. In his book ‘Traffic’, which looks at how we drive and why, Thomas suggests that the more interaction drivers have with each other, the better and safer driving can be.

He says that if you make eye contact with other drivers, they are more likely to cooperate and share the road with you safely - it’s certainly something to try the next time you are trying to edge your way out of a busy junction, for example.

Vanderbilt’s book suggests that most of us feel hidden and safe in our cars, which can mean we have less consideration for our fellow road users and could lead to impolite and potentially dangerous behaviour behind the wheel. However research has shown that when drivers are more exposed - such as with the roof down in a convertible, or just by having the window open - they are more tolerant of other road users and less likely to get angry or beep their horns.

Research from Colorado State University also suggests that another way to avoid road rage is to steer clear of drivers with car stickers. Researchers say that stickers and other ways of decorating your car are ‘territorial markers’, used by drivers to show that their cars – and the road they are travelling on – is their territory. The research found that as a result, these drivers are quicker to get angry or aggressive behind the wheel and become annoyed with other road users.

So, for Swift Relief on the roads, try catching someone’s eye to beat the jams, open the window to cool down your road range down in more ways than one, and shun car stickers if you want to avoid sticky situations with territorial drivers.