Additional Tips to Avoid Provoking Other Drivers
Don't cut off other drivers. When you merge, make sure you have enough room and always signal before you merge.
Don't drive slowly in the left (fast) lane. Avoid using the fast lane except for the brief time it takes to pass another driver. Driving slowly in the fast lane frustrates other drivers.
Don't tailgate. Many drivers get angry when they are followed too closely. Remember to keep the appropriate following distance between you and the vehicle ahead of you.
Don't signal gestures to other drivers. Keep your hands on the steering wheel. Making obscene gestures to other drivers may provoke them.
Use your horn for emergencies only. Even a polite tap of your horn may be enough to provoke another driver.
Avoid eye contact with an angry driver. To some people, eye contact is the same as a challenge. If someone is determined to act out his or her frustrations, even a friendly smile can be misinterpreted.
Give an angry driver plenty of space. If you make a driving error (even if not intentional), it is possible the other driver may try and pick a fight with you. Put as much distance between your vehicle and the other vehicle as you can.
What to Do If Someone Threatens You:
Let's suppose it is too late and for whatever reason you have ticked off another driver, and, luck would have it, one who's having a rough day. You can tell the driver is angry at you and you are concerned that you could become a victim of the other driver's "road rage."
No matter how safe and courteous a driver you are, there is always a chance you may cross the wrong person (in a matter of speaking, of course!). You need to be prepared to react appropriately and safely if you encounter somebody with road rage.
Get off at the next exit. Go to a safe place and try to find a police station if an enraged driver is following you. Get away from the situation.
Second, do NOT aggravate or contribute to the situation by responding in anger. It's very easy when someone is acting like a jerk to us for us to respond in anger. However, when you're out on the road, this can potentially be a life-and-death situation, not only for yourself, but for other motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians who happen to be around.
Breathe deeply. When somebody makes you really mad, you tend to breathe shallowly. To counter this, breathe deeply at least three times to relax. You can use this simple technique at home, at work or in your car.
Try to keep things in perspective. Numerous psychologists will tell you if you remember to put things in perspective, you're more likely to become less angry. If you stop and think about it, you probably can you forgive them on the spot.
Pretend you "know" the other person. Okay, not literally (our guess is you probably would rather not know the person, right?). However, when someone makes you angry when you’re behind the wheel, pretend it is a friend or family member. If you think this to yourself, and you think of them in a good light, you will get less angry, and will be much less likely to stoop to their level and respond in a way that may give you momentary satisfaction, but could have devastating, and perhaps tragic, results.
Listen to soft music, and relax. Don't add more stress to the situation by listening to loud music. Either turn off the music, or play relaxing music.
Thousands of people die from road rage every year so please remember: the first time you become angry at another driver could be your last.
Driving environments change, so it is important to know and use the correct driving techniques for each environment.
Preview Daytime vs. Nighttime
Preview Visibility
When driving during the day, you can see better and further ahead because of the bright, even lighting. You can see road signs, traffic hazards, and turns in the road much better than if you were driving at night.
When driving at night, on the other hand, visibility becomes a big issue. Streetlights and headlights can never reveal as much detail as daylight. Headlights sometimes present glare problems that can temporarily blind a driver. Older people may take half a minute to adjust their eyes to the darkness after being blinded (compared to five seconds for younger people). Even one second of "blindness" is too long.
To avoid being blinded by an approaching vehicle at night, slow down and avoid looking directly into the lights of the approaching vehicle. When confronted by oncoming high beam headlights, keep your eyes on the right side of your lane.
Preview Speeding
Speeding can kill! This is truer when driving at night because you have less visibility in the darkness. This can be critical if you are driving fast, as you need to see to stop in time. You will often need to reduce your speed at night so that you are able to stop within the distance illuminated by your headlights and any streetlights.
Every road has its own hazards, which is why every road is given its own speed limit. Driving at an unsafe speed for a particular road (e.g., 75 mph on a crowded main street) makes no more sense than doing 10 mph on an expressway. Maximum speeds are set based on ideal driving conditions: an alert driver, good tires and brakes, and dry pavement. If conditions are not ideal, such as slick roads or heavy traffic, a driver is expected to reduce his or her speed from the posted maximum in order to retain control of the vehicle.