Keep calm and carry on driving

It might be tempting to attribute the striking rise in road rage, of which there have been some appalling cases recently, to the stresses of a fast-paced life – in particular the worsening traffic congestion associated with rapid urban population growth. But ultimately there is no excuse or justification for what is essentially a range of crimes triggered by anger.

‘‘Road rage’’, a term coined in the late 1980s by American media after a series of shootings on Los Angeles freeways, is angry or aggressive behaviour by a driver. It often involves minor incidents escalating violently, sometimes fatally. There have been academic studies and parliamentary inquiries into criminal aggression on the roads. The most consistent message is simple: Do. Not. Take. It. Personally. Instead, at a practical level, experts suggest: keep calm, ignore the aggressor, pull over and never exit your car.

This form of criminal violence has increased, police figures show, by 60 per cent across Victoria in the past four years.

Violence on the roads is not random – and it’s not accurately encapsulated by the term ‘‘road rage’’. This is not a traffic issue. It’s about criminality. Being licensed to drive is a privilege, not a right, and it carries with it a massive duty to the community. It’s a duty easily honoured – just be courteous, and give a wink to the universality that we all make mistakes.