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Every year, a number of South Africans get involved in accidents or even get killed due to aggressive driving. Road rage has come up to be one of the serious issues in the country as it seems that drivers are angry on the road. This rage emanates from changing lanes improperly, failure to remain in the right of way and unnecessary speeding just to name a few.
Another cause of road rage could be that one of someone texting or talking on their cellphone, which results to distraction to the point that they swerve to other lanes and possibly cause an accident or really evokes emotions of rage from other drivers on the road. Lungile Mthembu, a first time driver was taken by surprise while she was driving her brand new car, “it was like an attack from a stranger, because here I was enjoying my first ride of my brand new car only to witness this anger amongst drivers,” she said.
Mornings and evenings are the peak times when the rage happens the most because it’s either drivers are rushing to work or they are driving back home just to be home in time for dinner. With all these frustrations from different people on the road, it is hard for drivers to hold back their aggression. Even the most patient person tends to lose it.
A recent incident which serves as a road rage example is that one between the Porshe and VW Polo drivers. This rage assault occurred on Witkopen Road, Fourways, Johannesburg where the Porshe driver was caught on camera by an eyewitness as he assaulted the Polo driver by kicking on the car and even going to the extent of punching him just as he had rolled down the window. This attack occurred after the Porshe driver had been driving recklessly and cutting people of as he was driving.
Within days since the Porche rage encounter, another incident of road rage also in Gauteng, was reported. This time, a 65 year old man was punched in the face by a motorist countless times after the 65 year old had accidentally bumped into the motorist’s vehicle.
With these incidents happening so simultaneously, it is hard for one to avoid the seriousness of this rage on the roads. Avoiding road rage is not difficult. Drivers should just abide by the rules of the road, this could be by driving the speed limit, obeying traffic signs and signals and using turn signals when possible.
