Dangerous Drivers Essay, Research Paper

Introduction

I. In August 1995, a 20-year old man, enraged after a fender bender with a 33-year old woman, pulled her out of her car and forced her to jump from a bridge into the Detroit River, where she drowned.

II. Ugly incidents sparked by driver rage are becoming common on American roads. Usually highway spats blow over swiftly, and drivers head on their way angered but alive. All too often, however, anger escalates into battle and a tragic end. Statistics, etc. (Reader’s Digest, 1997)

III. I myself, have been victim of some of this driver rage on the road. However after reading these articles I have vowed to change my ways and hope that I can convince you to do the same.

IV. Dangerous drivers are enraged, intent on getting even and they are the latest threat on the highway that need to be stopped. Today I will show you what a dangerous driver is, the best way to cope with them and how to avoid these situations.

Transition: Dangerous drivers are putting us in danger.

Body

I. A dangerous driver can be anyone who has personal frustrations, anger, or pride.

A. A dangerous driver can be a serious problem.

1. U.S.News and World Report dated Nov. 11, 1996 says that according to Ricardo Martinez, head of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aggressive drivers are more of a concern than drunk drivers, 40 percent to 30 percent. They can climb into the anonymity of an automobile and take their frustrations out on anybody at any time.

2. They run stop signs and red lights. They speed, tailgate, weave in and out of traffic, pass on the right, make improper and unsafe lane changes, make hand and face gestures, scream, honk, and flash their lights.

B. The real problem with dangerous drivers is that you simply can’t know how far one of them is willing to go to prove a point, take revenge, or simply get his or her own way.

1. Anyone who raises his or her middle finger while driving is playing Russian Roulette.

2. In the March ‘97 issue of Redbook ,an article written by Art Levine called “How Angry Drivers are Putting You in Danger” says this is not an exaggeration. Early one January morning, a freeway driver pulled in front of John O’Kane. In the passenger seat was his fianc?e, Eileen McGuigan, 36, a mother of four. “I gave him the finger for cutting me off and he shot her in the head.”

C. I know people are only human–it’s very difficult to ignore the jerk riding your tail or ducking in front of you to save half a second. Some drivers (not me anymore) respond to over-aggressive road behavior as if piloting a car were a contest. They drive to win rather than to get to their destination.

Transition: We have seen how dangerous these drivers can be, but they need to be stopped.

II. The best way to cope with aggressive drivers is not to be one. Don’t commit any of the sins that would surely make you grit your teeth if you saw another driver commit them.

A. According to an article in the July 1997 Reader’s Digest, “Steer Clear of these Dangerous Drivers”, when someone cuts close in front of you or runs a red light, there’s a terrible temptation to lean on the horn, holler an insult, or flip the bird.

1. Do that, and the problem will be amplified.

2. Your action may cause the other driver to start following you too close or get in front of you.

B. You’re at a much greater risk if you join in the confrontation, even if it’s by honking your horn or glaring at other drivers–habits that men, in particular, find hard to resist.

1. U.S. News and World Report, November 11, 1996, gives an example of the solution.

a. One night, as a man was getting off the highway on his way home from work, a guy in a Saab–a very professional, regular looking guy–was getting off behind him.

b. The exit wasn’t two lanes, but the guy wanted to squeeze past anyway. The other guy didn’t want to pull over.

c. When they were on the city street at a red light, the man got out of his car and started cursing and pounding on the window.

d. The other man did not do anything and when the light turned green, he took off.

2. You need to override your primitive response and do the right thing.

Transition: Now that we have seen how to avoid dangerous drivers, we can see what to do if it ever happens to you.

III. Avoid the situation.

A. Suppose that you are tooling along, minding your own business, and glance out to see that the car in back of you is too close.

1. Change lanes.

2. Don’t even look at the driver.

B. A driver who is tough may not let you get away.

1. Don’t drive home.

2. Drive to a public place.

Transition: Now that we have seen what we can do to help ourselves, we can start being safe on our roads.

Conclusion

I. The unknown driver is on the road with us everyday. We all share feelings that are aggressive, impatient, and to some extent, egoistic. But we need to remember we are not on the the only ones on the road. There are several innocent people with us.

II. It’s up to you to be the cool one on the road. Your life and the lives of your family could depend on it.