What you should and should NOT do to avoid becoming a victim of road rage

Road rage problems continue to be a violent and growing problem for everyone driving on Houston roads.

Houston leads the nation in road rage incidents, with 215 over the last decade according to the organization Trace.org that tracks road rage shootings.

And there have been at least seven reported road rage incidents in Houston this year. The harsh reality is that once you enter a freeway, the violence can roll up in seconds.

So, what can you do to avoid becoming the next victim of this senseless crime?

Last year, KPRC 2 Investigative reporter Bill Spencer hit the road with a defensive driving coach, Tony Ubezonu, owner of Road Ready Driving School in Houston to school all of us on what to do and not do to avoid becoming a road rage victim.

• What to do and not do to avoid becoming a victim of road rage

Ubezonu said it all starts with strictly following the rules of the road and not doing anything that provokes extreme anger in other drivers.

He has this list of driving mistakes you need to avoid at all costs.

• Following the car ahead of you too close.
• Weaving through traffic.
• Cutting off other cars, by changing lanes and not checking your blind spots.
• Erratic braking.
• Not using your turn signals.
• Flashing your lights at other drivers and driving with your hi-beams on.
• Gesturing or yelling at other drivers and blasting your horn at them.

If you do find yourself in a road rage incident and you are being chased by another driver, experts say to first call 911 and then drive to the nearest police station.

Here are some additional tips for avoiding confrontations while driving:

• Avoid eye contact
• Do not respond to aggression with aggression
• Be tolerant and forgiving
• Avoid offensive hand gestures
• Call 911 if threatened

Authorities also urge drivers to remember the ABC’s of safe driving:

• Avoid distractions
• Be well rested
• Continually monitor traffic

You can find the nearest police station by enabling your MapQuest or Google Maps with voice and asking the app to direct you to the nearest police station.

Road Rage in Houston: Law enforcement, experts taking multiple avenues for solutions