WATCH ABOVE: With traffic from the Pan Am Games and temporary HOV lanes, some drivers are at their boiling point. Marianne Dimain reports on how to keep a cool head during a road rage incident.
TORONTO — Summer driving comes with a lot of stressful scenarios, but with the Pan Am Games and the temporary HOV lanes in Toronto, many commuters are reaching a boiling point.
“There are a lot of aggressive people out there,” said driver John Zachaiou from an east-end collision reporting centre.
“Calm down and just let it go. Simple as that you know, I have to let it go.”
But that doesn’t always happen.
Just last week two people were charged for allegedly pulling gun on a driver during a traffic altercation in Toronto.
READ MORE: Toronto man allegedly pulls out shotgun in road rage incident
“For a simple lane change or somebody maybe not driving the speed limit does it really warrant that response? I’m going to suggest it doesn’t,” said Const. Clint Stibbe of Toronto Police Traffic Services.
Still, psychotherapist Latchman Narain from Anger Management Centre Toronto Inc. says too many drivers are buckling under the stress from work and family life.
One small incident on the road could be enough to trigger full blown rage.
- Roadblock cleared: Ontario’s Highway 413 moving forward after governments reach agreement
- TSX down 160 points as energy stocks move lower, U.S. markets continue to fall
- Man accused of stabbing Toronto police officer faces attempted murder charges
- Ford government questions usefulness of fourplex policies citing low uptake
READ MORE: Ottawa cab driver goes on racist tirade after refusing to move for ambulance
“Stress is the fuel of anger,” said Narain. “This tendency to personalize leads to excessive anger and rage because they feel the other person is taking advantage of them. It’s like an injustice.”
Toronto Police do not specifically track the number of road rage incidents across the city.
But officers say if you feel you’re in danger don’t engage, stay in your car and call 911.
“If you call for help this type of situation would be really high in our priority,” said Stibbe.
“And as a result would warrant an immediate response.”
Comments