Contrary to popular opinion, it’s not just speedsters who are to be blamed for the incidences of road rage seen on UK highways. Those who drive like they have all day to get to their destination are a major source of road rage, even accidents. Many of us have at one point found ourselves honking in frustration at a slow coach hogging the lane and crawling at a speed well below that indicated on the highway sign. Of the accidents that happened in 2011, statisticians found that slow drivers were responsible for an alarming 143. In response to the gravity of this problem, the Transport Department has set about instituting minimum speed limits on some highways along with slow speed cameras. There are even parts of the UK in which slow drivers are hit with on-the-spot fines of up to £100.

How, you ask, can that pensioner trundling along at a snail’s pace be responsible for such a degree of road carnage? Back to our scenario of you fuming behind a driver seemingly oblivious of the concept of time. While you gritted your teeth or cursed yourself blue, another driver would have reacted differently; trying to overtake on the blind side or where the dual carriageway is clearly divided by a solid line. Or worse still, some impatient souls will attempt to sneak ahead of the offending car with a blind bend or hill looming. Those slow-and-steady drivers who pride themselves in never having been involved in an accident should wipe the smirk off their faces and ponder the accidents they may have unwittingly caused. Of course the impatient speedster should also shoulder part of the blame for their recklessness regardless of the degree of provocation to overtake.

Road courtesy demands that slow drivers not create an obstacle to faster road users. If you are not confident enough in your ability to control your car at higher speeds, make it easier for those behind you to overtake by slowing down further to leave a sizeable enough gap between you and the car ahead. Or you could pull over to the side of the road altogether. And if you feel too intimidated by the sound of other drivers hooting at you or zooming past you on the highway, then perhaps you should stick to less busy streets until you work up your confidence. Or you can start by driving on days when traffic is light.