Dear Editor,
In light of Ronald Gasser’s recent conviction of manslaughter in the death of former NFL running back Joe McKnight, I felt compelled to share why I believe road rage is a huge problem in the United States.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NHTSA, around 66 percent of traffic fatalities are caused by aggressive driving. Around 37 percent of aggressive driving incidents involve a firearm. These are alarming statistics and give a great perspective on how serious an issue road rage can be.
Recently, I got into a minor altercation while on the road. I was traveling to Hammond from Covington on a spare tire. I was driving around 45 mph to ensure my safety. A gentleman driving behind me was very displeased with my driving and gave me a piece of his mind. I returned his words with my middle finger. I’m usually a mild-mannered person, but in that moment, I felt a certain urge of rage.
As I reflect now, I think about how dangerous that situation could potentially have been. I could have been the next Joe McKnight or Ronald Gasser. It just frustrated me that someone could get that mad as a result of me just practicing good safety. The hard truth is I should not have even dignified him with a response, but that is certainly easier said than done. For some reason, for me personally, it is way harder for me to compose myself behind the wheel than it is outside of my vehicle.
Apparently, I’m not alone. According to slate.com, psychologists call this “deindividuation.” The word indicates a loss of self-awareness and along with it, individual accountability. Anonymity seems to always be a key ingredient to deindividuation. This is why many people feel more comfortable cursing out a complete stranger that can’t even hear them.
Psychologist Dr. Jerry Deffenbacher notes that even typically calm, reasonable people can sometimes turn into warriors behind the wheel. When provoked, they yell obscenities, wildly gesture, honk and swerve in and out of traffic, and may endanger their lives and others.
“Anger is not a chronic experience for high-anger drivers, but something prompted by different triggers or events on the road,” Deffenbacher said. “It’s about encountering provocations, events on the road that are frustrating and provoking in some way, and then what they bring to the wheel [that determines] how angry they will get.”
Sometimes, we are prone to making rash decisions when we are angry. Typically, when our houses are on fire, we call the fire department. When a loved one needs medical attention, we call the ambulance. If you feel like you are in danger on the road, call the police. Don’t take matters into your own hands.
One minor incident could have landed me in jail or put me in an early grave. From now on, I’m going to make a concerted effort to control my emotions while behind the wheel. You should too because your life could literally be at stake.
Senior communication major Tarrik Roberts