Learning to drive can be an overwhelming experience.

Navigating dangerous road users and handling abuse on the road are additional factors that can seriously add to a new driver’s stress.

What the ****

Research by Marmalade insurance found that 81% of young drivers are falling victim to abuse from other drivers. This highlights a need to educate on how to respond to road rage in a safe and controlled way.

Two surveys, one in October 2021 of learners, and one of driving instructors in March 2022 uncovered a shocking levels of abuse on the roads. In turn it led to a petition of government to debate and introduce more education, as well as penalties for bullies on the road.

By reaching the 10,000 signatures milestone, the Government were required to respond to the petition. They said that thee Givernment “is committed to road safety, by identifying and prosecuting the few who make our roads less safe. Aggravating factors are set out in the sentencing guidelines.”

Up and down the country, learner drivers are having to deal with road rage aimed at them when they’re on the roads. The problem is getting worse, according to 59% of driving instructors. Whether it’s in driving lessons or private practice, L-plates seem to attract abuse.

You can read about the two Marmalade surveys in more detail here. 

Intimidation

Some young drivers report having their car purposely bumped, while 4% had another road user leave their vehicle to confront them.

Aggressive behaviours like shouting, swearing, revving the engine and cutting up all mentioned. Aside from causing learners to make more mistakes, these behaviours are making learners more anxious and nervous.

The majority of those surveyed (54%) suggested that they would support on-the-spot fines. More than a third (35%) would support three penalty points.

Half of those surveyed felt anger management courses for offenders would be beneficial. Meanwhile, others simply feel more should be done to raise awareness of the issue.

Growing up

Results suggest that males aged 30-39 rank as the biggest culprits for bullying behaviour, with 67% of learners identifying this age group.

The data also shows that men in general were most abusive on the roads, according to 68% of those surveyed. In terms of vehicles, behind cars, 61% said abuse came from those in vans, while 23% said taxis.

Behind general car drivers, van drivers seem to be the worst culprits (61%), with taxi drivers named by 21% of those surveyed.

Top tips

To help drivers, Marmalade teamed up with driving instructor, Andy Harding to share advice on how to manage dangerous drivers. This provides a useful check list for young drivers to handle intimidation on the road.

  1.  Avoid reacting emotionally

As hard as it may seem at the time of the incident, try not to show any negative emotions to the offending driver. Instead, it’s much more important to focus on yourself and stay calm on the road.

Not only this, but responding in a controlled manner will prove to be a valuable lesson for. By not reacting to other road users in an aggressive or confrontational manner and escalating the situation further, you will learn that this is the safest way to respond.

If this happens again in future lessons or long after you pass, it better equips you for handling other dangerous drivers.

2. Stay in your car

Above anything else, you are safest in the vehicle so stay there until it is safe to leave, rather than attempting to confront the offender.

If the offender gets out of their vehicle and presents increasingly threatening behaviour, remain calm and call 999 if you believe you are both at immediate risk of harm.

  1. Use technology to document the event

In these situations, it will support your case to have physical evidence to hand. As long as you are stationary and parked in a safe place, try to record the incident on your phone.

Similarly, if the incident is documented on dashcam, then lock and download it as soon as possible, including any audio that may have been filmed and pass it onto the police.

  1. Do not attempt to follow the vehicle

Never take the law into your own hands. Not only is this placing you in an even more vulnerable situation, but it could result in a crash and harm other road users too. It is more important to prioritise your safety, rather than justice on the roads. Instead, leave that to the police.

If the offender is leaving the scene after showing signs of threatening behaviour, let it happen.

  1. If you are being followed, stick to main roads

If the dangerous driver is going to the lengths of following your vehicle and showing other signs of harassment, then avoid driving along quiet or remote roads – even if this is your planned route.

Instead, calmly redirect to drive on busier roads where possible, where other drivers can be witnesses.

If you have followed the steps above and the driver is still following your vehicle, then dial 999 and wait for instructions from the police.

In the event that the other vehicle has been able to block you in, try sounding the horn to attract the attention of other drivers for support or dissuade the offender.

  1. Review any footage and gather details as soon as possible

Drivers can be fined up to £1,000 for something as small as a rude hand gesture, so it’s important to go to the effort of gathering all the information and reporting it properly.

Following the incident, it’s crucial to be objective rather than subjective. Once the lesson has concluded and you are both in a safe environment, review the footage and any other information you both have gathered; checking that the facts are clear and no key information has been missed.

  1. Report the incident immediately

If it’s a non-emergency and no one is in immediate danger, you can report offenders by calling 101 and passing on any details from the incident.

You can also report dangerous driving or road rage online. The DVLA has a section on its website that allows you to fill in an incident form. In your report, include information such as the vehicle make, model and colour, as well as where you witnessed the incident and any other details about the driver.

However you choose to report it, be sure to do this as soon as possible to avoid any information being forgotten or lost.

  1. Learning points

Once the incident has been reported, spend some time reflecting on what happened and if anything more could have been done to avoid the situation in the first place or from escalating. If there is something to learn from this, then put it into practice during future driving lessons.

 

You can find more information from Marmalade here.