by Jason Chandler
Staff Writer

Rick and Denise Guttenberger help families who are faced with finding senior care options, navigate to find those options.
“It can be confusing and complex at times, so we help them do that at no cost to them,” Rick said.
The Guttenbergers are the owners of Senior Care Referral Services, a company based in Edmond and serving the greater metropolitan area of Oklahoma City. Their service area ranges from Edmond to Norman and from Mustang to Midwest City.
“We get to say, ‘We can help you,’” Denise said.
Whether seniors need independent living communities, assisted living, memory care or at home care, Senior Care Referral helps seniors find the resources they need.
“For the past couple of years, we have felt called to work with the senior community,” Denise said. “I can’t really explain it other than it was a calling and we needed to do something and we started looking at different options that might be available.”
Rick recalled the common conversations with his peers before they founded the company. Friends would say, “Gosh, I’ve got to do something with mom. She can’t live at home anymore.’”
He recognized a need for guidance to establish a place to start.
“We really felt there was a need locally for a trusted group that could provide that information for them,” Rick said.
They found their niche with Senior Care Referral Services. It is a wonderful way to walk with families, providing them ease of mind by simplifying their search for answers.
“What does it cost? What kind of care am I going to find? Does my insurance pay for it?” are typical questions posed by their clients.
Oftentimes when approached by a prospective client, the Guttenbergers will hear, “We don’t know what to do.’”
Helping seniors to navigate, making their life easier with a myriad of answers, brings joy to both the Guttenbergers and their clients.
When a client needs home health, then Senior Care Referral Services will provide referral services to companies they recognize as senior-friendly leaders in the field.
“We spent quite a few months visiting almost all the communities in the greater Oklahoma City area,” Denise said. “We took the tours.  We talked to the marketing people and the director, looked at reviews, so we could feel confident that any place we would take a family is a place we would take our own family.”
Primary caregivers can reach a point in their lives when there are more questions than solutions. Their own energy becomes spent in trying to do more than they can handle. Senior Care Referral Services allows the Guttenbergers to find solutions for seniors.
“Sometimes it’s just time. Sometimes it’s, ‘Gosh, I think mom would be safer if we helped mom find a community she could live in and where meals are prepared and the maintenance is done. She doesn’t have to get out on the roads to drive.’”
A fall or injury with a loved one may prompt a son or daughter to make a decision to enhance their parent’s quality of life for the better.
The first determination made by Senior Care Referral Services is to determine the level of care a client needs, Rick said. It could be independent living, providing meals and a safe environment.
Others may need assistance with daily living activities, he said, such as dressing, eating and medication management.
“The next thing is — do they have a geographical preference?” Rick continued. “Do they want to be in Norman. Do they want to be in Midwest City or northwest Oklahoma City?”
One’s budget is the third consideration, because prices vary significantly, Rick said. There are average prices for certain levels of care, so Senior Care Referral Services helps clients to understand what services can fit their budgets.
“The fourth thing is timing,” Rick said. “When someone is coming out of skilled nursing Tuesday, and they need a place Tuesday because they can’t go back home — that may limit their options with the availability in different communities.”
All of these considerations are fine-tuned into an understanding of choices that are best suited for the individual clients’ needs. Services provided by Senior Care Referral Services are free to the clients. Service providers in the community pay for the cost.
“We can help narrow their option choices pretty quickly,” Rick said. “What might take them months to figure out on their own, we can help them figure that out in a 20-minute phone call.”
Sometimes, Rick and Denise will work with the seniors themselves, who have become isolated. Churches have asked them to help some of their members.
“We’ll go and get them and help them go on tours, and find their new home,” Denise said.

Many people remain reluctant to cover their faces in public. Are masks effective against COVID-19? What’s the status of a vaccine? What’s the science behind it all?
Auburn University at Montgomery (Alabama) biology professor Karen Stine, who specializes in toxicology — the study of poisons — has taught courses in toxicology, pharmacology, cell biology, physiology and environmental science. She offers her thoughts on the ongoing global pandemic, and how the public at large can work to guard against it.
Q. How do vaccines work?
Stine: Vaccines generally contain either an inactivated virus, or isolated bits and pieces of a virus, any of which will hopefully stimulate your immune system to react. This gives you a head start, so if and when you’re actually exposed to the virus your immune system can inactivate it before it makes you sick. But immune responses usually take some time to ramp up to full steam.
Q. Why don’t we have a vaccine for COVID-19 yet?
Stine: Right now, there are multiple organizations working on different viral bits and pieces, hoping to find the right combination that can get the immune system geared up against COVID-19. This takes time, though, as the strategies first have to be tested in the lab, and then in uninfected people to make sure the vaccine is safe and that indicators of effectiveness (usually antibodies) have been produced in the test subjects. Finally, large scale tests for effectiveness (usually involving thousands of people) have to take place. Only then will the vaccine be approved for the general public.many people remain reluctant to cover their faces in public. Are masks effective against COVID-19? What’s the status of a vaccine? What’s the science behind it all?
Auburn University at Montgomery biology professor Karen Stine, who specializes in toxicology — the study of poisons — has taught courses in toxicology, pharmacology, cell biology, physiology and environmental science. She offers her thoughts on the ongoing global pandemic, and how the public at large can work to guard against it.
Q. How do vaccines work?
Stine: Vaccines generally contain either an inactivated virus, or isolated bits and pieces of a virus, any of which will hopefully stimulate your immune system to react. This gives you a head start, so if and when you’re actually exposed to the virus your immune system can inactivate it before it makes you sick. But immune responses usually take some time to ramp up to full steam.
Q. Will a vaccine produce long-lasting immunity against COVID-19?
Stine: No one knows the answer to that yet. For some viruses (the virus that causes measles, for example), one or two doses of a vaccine can produce immunity that appears to last throughout life. For other viruses (influenza viruses, for example), frequent changes in the virus along with gradually declining immunity means that people need to be re-vaccinated annually.
Q. Do masks really help prevent the spread of COVID-19?
Stine: It’s a fair question. Early on, scientists and doctors were not encouraging (and in fact were discouraging) mask use. But as evidence mounted, we learned from it—that’s how science works—and now, the scientific and medical advice has changed. The consensus now is that wearing a mask in public can greatly reduce transmission of the COVID-19 virus.
Q. What has the science shown the biomedical community that makes them support this?
Stine: A few facts have become clear over the last months. People can spread the virus without showing symptoms. We also know the virus is predominantly spread through respiratory droplets and that cloth masks are effective at blocking the release of respiratory droplets by infected people. Some of this evidence is from other viruses but should generalize to COVID-19.
Q. So what conclusion can be drawn from that evidence?
Stine: If everyone wears masks, which block respiratory droplets, transmission of the virus should be greatly reduced.
Q. But does this work in the real world?
Stine: Evidence now indicates that masks, along with other measures, can indeed make a difference. Also, strong anecdotal evidence from countries in both Asia and Europe that have mandated masks in public lends support to the premise that masks can be an effective tool in dramatically reducing coronavirus transmission.
Q. Should everyone wear a mask in public?
Stine: For a very small segment of the population, wearing a mask is not medically recommended. For the rest of us, it is not only safe but is also the most effective thing we can do to make others feel safe, as well. And remember, workers in medical and other fields have always worn them!
Q. But some people feel wearing a mask infringes on their freedom. How do you convince these people to wear masks?
Stine: Perhaps it does a bit. But if mild inconvenience outweighs civic responsibility for you in a time of national crisis — and over 100,000 deaths nationwide certainly qualifies as a crisis — are you comfortable with what that says about your values?
Q. So if you could speak directly to people who are reluctant to wear a mask in public, what would you say to them?
Stine: The bottom line is that strong scientific evidence indicates that if everyone wears a mask in public (and maintains appropriate social distancing), rates of COVID-19 infection will drop, and we can all enjoy much safer freedom of movement as we go about our daily lives. Also, those still isolated at home can more safely emerge and help boost our struggling economy. It’s a win for everyone. So, wear a mask. Please. Lives and livelihoods depend on it.

U.S. News & World Report has cited four degree programs offered by the University of Oklahoma College of Allied Health as among the best educational programs nationally. The rankings recognize top schools for training at the master and/or doctorate levels. Each school’s score reflects average rating based on a survey of academics at peer institutions.
OU College of Allied Health programs ranked by the national publication are: Audiology: Ranked 36th in the nation. Audiologists are experts in the diagnosis and treatment of disorders of hearing and balance. Professionals with the Doctor of Audiology degree work in a variety of settings, including hospitals, clinics, academic institutions and private practices. Physical Therapy: Ranked 42nd. Physical therapy is a rehabilitation field focused on improving quality of life through prescribed exercise, hands-on care, and patient education. Physical therapists are movement experts who examine, evaluate, and treat injuries, disabilities, or other health conditions, including nerve and muscle function, posture, balance and pain disorders for individuals of all ages. Occupational Therapy: Ranked 58th. Occupational therapy is a rehabilitation field that maximizes performance in everyday activities such as self-care, home management, work, school and leisure for people across the lifespan. Occupational therapists evaluate and treat motor, visual, cognitive and psychological deficits, and innovatively modify tasks and environments that support participation in life activities. Speech-Language Pathology: Ranked 63rd in the nation. Training in speech-language pathology prepares professionals to assist adults and children with disorders of speech, language and swallowing. This high-demand and fast-growing profession includes professionals in a wide range of work settings, including clinics, hospitals and school systems.
Jane Wilson, Ph.D., dean of the OU College of Allied Health, said “The acknowledgement by an external entity of the outstanding quality of our programs and the faculty and staff who support those programs is gratifying. We are confident that our college community will be able to continue the excellent work and learning that places us in the top tier of programs nationally.”

The Oklahoma City Veterans Affairs Heath Care System is currently notifying local Veterans that the North OKC VA Community Based Outpatient Clinic will be closed between 3 to 6 months due to water damage from a broken water riser valve.
The OKC VA hospital is asking patients that had previously scheduled appointments at North OKC Clinic and are unsure of their new transitioned appointment location, please contact the VA scheduling staff at 405-456-1000, select option 2.
During this temporary closure period, Veterans medical needs are a priority and Veterans will be contacted and redirected to alternative clinic locations around the Oklahoma City metropolitan area.
For any questions or concerns about upcoming scheduled appointments, Veterans can call the Oklahoma City VA to ensure every Veteran previously scheduled at North OKC CBOC has a new rescheduled appointment location.
The OKC VA understands this is an inconvenience and wants to assure Veterans that every effort is being made to minimize the impact on their healthcare experience. They are tentatively targeting January 16, 2024, for confirmation of the new appointment locations.
The building owner is currently working diligently with the insurance company, cleaning crews and construction teams to repair the site as soon as possible.
Again, if you are unsure of your new North OKC appointment location, please contact the VA scheduling staff at 405-456-1000, select option 2.

The Oklahoma City Zoo and Botanical Garden is thrilled to announce that Niki, the Zoo’s 13-year-old Indian rhino gave birth to a healthy calf at 3:25 a.m. today, Friday, October 23, 2020. This new arrival is the first calf born to breeding pair Niki and father, Arun, 29, and the sixth Indian rhino, also known as the greater one-horned rhino, born at the OKC Zoo. The OKC Zoo has been home to Indian rhinos since 1981.
The calf was born in the early morning inside the Zoo’s rhino barn at Sanctuary Asia and discovered by caretakers when they arrived to start their day. An initial visual exam performed by the Zoo’s veterinary and animal care teams determined that both mom and calf are doing well. The calf is strong, standing on its own and nursing. At this time, the gender of the calf is still unknown as it continues to stay close to mom, enjoying some quality bonding time with her.
“We are very excited to welcome a new addition to our rhino group and to see that calf and mom are doing excellent,” said Rachel Emory, OKC Zoo’s curator of elephants and rhinos. “Indian rhinoceros are listed as a vulnerable species, so every successful birth is important, not just to us, but to the population as a whole.”
Mom Niki came to the OKC Zoo in 2009 from the Bronx Zoo and father Arun, 29, arrived from the Fort Worth Zoo in 2019 as part of a a breeding recommendation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) Greater One-Horned Rhinoceros Species Survival Plan (SSP). SSP programs were developed by AZA to oversee breeding management and sustainability of select animal species within AZA-member zoos and aquariums. The Zoo’s Sanctuary Asia is also home to adult, female Indian rhino, Shanti, 32, who also came from the Fort Worth Zoo with Arun.
The gestation period for Indian rhinos is approximately 16 months. The average birth weight for an Indian rhino calf is 120 pounds. Newborn Indian rhinos lack the distinctive horn of the adult rhino. Instead, they have a flat, smooth oval plate that eventually forms into a horn.
Native to northern India and southern Nepal, Indian rhinos are currently listed as “vulnerable” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature. Through conservation programs, wild populations over the past century have recovered from under 200 animals to approximately 3,600 today. However, there is a continuing decline in the quality of their natural habitat and the species continues to be illegally hunted for its horn.
The OKC Zoo is helping save Indian rhinos by supporting the International Rhino Foundation’s efforts to protect vulnerable and critically endangered rhinos and their habitat in India with money from the Round Up for Conservation Fund. The Zoo’s Round Up for Conservation program encourages guests to donate their change from any Zoo purchase to help protect wildlife and wild places around the world. Plus, the Zoo’s American Association of Zookeepers chapter has raised more than $373,000 for rhinos in Asia and Africa through its fundraising efforts since 1990.
The Zoo will continue to share updates on the rhino calf and mom, Niki, on social. Weather permitting, the two could be visible to guests from their habitat at Sanctuary Asia as early tomorrow!
A sweet treat just in time for Halloween, come out to the Zoo this fall and meet our new rhino calf! The Oklahoma City Zoo is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Advance tickets are required for all guests and ZOOfriends members and can be purchased at http://www.okczoo.org/tickets. Zoo tickets are limited each day to ensure safe social distancing among guests. Located at the crossroads of I-44 and I-35, the OKC Zoo is a proud member of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the American Alliance of Museums, Oklahoma City’s Adventure District and an Adventure Road partner. Regular admission is $12 for adults and $9 for children ages 3-11 and seniors ages 65 and over. Children two and under are admitted free. Stay up-to-date with the Zoo on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and by visiting Our Stories. Zoo fans can support the OKC Zoo by becoming a member. Memberships can be purchased at ZOOfriends.org or any place admission is sold in the Zoo’s Entry Plaza during regular business hours. To learn more about this event and Zoo other happenings, call (405) 424-3344 or visit okczoo.org.

From Terry “Travels with Terry” Zinn t4z@aol.com
text and photo provided by the Oklahoma Historical Society

The gift of travel is common at this time of year and is never more welcomed when you can travel to experiences close to home.
The Oklahoma History Center and Historical Society offers several holiday events. Thank you to the Oklahoma Historical Society for the press release below.
Honey Springs Battlefield announces its Civil War Christmas Event to be held on Saturday, December 10 from 1 to 3 p.m. The event will be steeped in the history of Christmases past, and full of fun for adults and children alike. Children will have the opportunity to see the visitor centers new exhibits and to take photographs with Santa.
Civil War soldiers dressed in period attire will add to the festive event along with crafts and refreshments. The program is free to the public.
Honey Springs Battlefield is also celebrating the opening of all permanent exhibits inside its visitor center near Checotah.
Visitors will have the opportunity to experience an immersive, 3-D theatrical video performance bringing to life the Battle of Honey Springs. Additionally, guests can explore the new east gallery exhibit hall featuring 14 audio players with recordings from firsthand, written accounts of soldiers who fought at the Battle of Honey Springs, as well as exhibits highlighting firearms, ammunition, and artillery used in the battle. There may be outdoor education stations surrounding the visitor center with living history demonstrations of Civil War military drills, artillery practices, and civilian life throughout the day.
This new, interactive exhibit at the Honey Springs Visitor Center will bring the battle to life in a way that is not only educational, but impactful,” said Trait Thompson, executive director of the Oklahoma Historical Society. “This battle was the most important of the Civil War in Indian Territory and it deserves the compelling rendition we now have in place. I’m thankful for our incredible Oklahoma Historical Society staff members from Honey Springs and other sites who contributed their talents to this incredible new exhibit.”
The project to build and install exhibits at the Honey Springs Battlefield site is the long range vision of the Oklahoma Historical Society Board and staff who began making plans for this military site dating back to the 1960s. Several stages of interpretation have unfolded over the years, including the trail signage and the slow installation of interactive exhibits that has now been completed.
Ask site director Adam Lynn and he will tell you that countless individuals, communities, donors, organizations, scholars, archaeologists, curators, volunteers, construction teams, maintenance workers, and staff members have contributed greatly to making the long range plans a reality.
“The battlefield and new state-of-the-art exhibits located inside the visitor center started with a vision that will soon come full circle,” said Lynn. “We are beyond thankful and excited to offer visitors, schools, and groups of all ages a complete experience equal to the size and importance of one of the most important chapters in all of Oklahoma history!”
The exhibits will include a new 3–D theater that will show the documentary film The Battle of Honey Springs on a regular basis for visitors to immerse themselves in the story of the historic site. Honey Springs Battlefield is located east of US Highway 69 between Oktaha and Rentiesville. The site is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Contact the center at 918-617-7125 or honeysprings@history.ok.gov.
OTHER Oklahoma Holiday events include; December 10 discussion at the Oklahoma History Center of the excavation and transportation of the steamboat Heroine from the Red River; A Christmas Tea, December 11, at the Cherokee Strip Museum and Rose Hill School from 1:30 to 4 p.m.; Christmas at the Fort Towson Historic Site December 11 from 1 to 3pm; or the Fort Gibson Holiday Bake Day on December 17 at 11 am.

Mr. Terry Zinn – Travel Editor
Past President: International Food Wine and Travel Writers Association
3110 N.W. 15 Street – Oklahoma City, OK 73107
https://realtraveladventures.com/?s=terry+zinn
https://realtraveladventures.com/?s=zinn
http://new.okveterannews.com/?s=TERRY+ZINN
www.martinitravels.com

Remember being told as a kid that eating your carrots would improve your eyesight? While a diet containing carrots promotes good vision, your eyes may benefit even more by eating broccoli, kale or Brussels sprouts.
That’s the assessment of Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation scientist Scott Plafker, Ph.D., who recently found that a compound in cruciferous vegetables shows the potential to prevent age-related macular degeneration.
In research models, the compound sulforaphane preserved the function of light-sensitive cells in the retina. These cells, called cones, are responsible for color vision by sending signals to the brain, which then translates the signals into color.
Macular degeneration occurs when these cells die, causing blind spots and blurry or distorted central vision. It can worsen over time, affecting a person’s ability to read, drive and recognize faces.
The most common treatment for the eye disorder is “handfuls of vitamins and antioxidant supplements,” Plafker said. Sulforaphane is a natural antioxidant, he said, but it typically is not part of the suggested cocktail for macular degeneration.
“This compound has previously shown the ability to help our cells defend themselves from oxidative stress,” Plafker said. “In these experiments, sulforaphane provided that defense to the retina.”
Sulforaphane is found in cauliflower, radishes, broccoli and other members of the cabbage family. It also is available as a supplement, but Plafker said research has shown it offers more value in its natural form, whether fresh, frozen or canned.
Scientists have conducted numerous clinical trials testing sulforaphane’s benefits on medical issues ranging from autism and schizophrenia to enlarged ovaries and prostate cancer. Plafker’s lab was the first to demonstrate its potential to recover cone function.
Macular degeneration is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss in older adults, affecting more than 10 million people in the U.S., according to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation. The risk increases with age. For those 75 or older, the risk of developing macular degeneration is 1 in 3.
“Dr. Plafker’s findings raise the intriguing possibility that a well-known compound present in many vegetables may protect against vision loss as people age,” said OMRF Vice President of Research Rod McEver, M.D. “Considering there are no treatments for most people with macular degeneration, this is an especially compelling discovery.”
More research is needed to better understand how and why cells in the eye benefit from sulforaphane, Plafker said, and whether that benefit extends universally or only to a subset of potential macular degeneration patients.
But for now, Plafker said, lean into green. “A diet rich in vegetables like broccoli, kale and cabbage has health benefits as far as the eye can see.”
The findings were published in the journal Molecular Vision. The research was supported by grant 1 R01EY024944-01A1 from the National Eye Institute, part of the National Institutes of Health, and grants from the Oklahoma Center for the Advancement of Science and Technology and the Presbyterian Health Foundation. Scientists at the University of Alabama, Birmingham, contributed to the research.

AAA reminds drivers to stay cool behind the wheel; avoid engaging with aggressive drivers

Whether it’s gesturing, shouting, threatening-or worse-anger behind the wheel is becoming far too common on America’s roadways. Aggressive behaviors, ranging from speeding to acts of violence, pose a threat not only to other drivers but to passengers and pedestrians as well.
“Road rage is the term we use to describe extreme anger and aggression behind the wheel,” says Rylie Mansuetti, public affairs manager, AAA Oklahoma. “Not only are these displays of hostility unsafe for those on and near the roadway, but a growing number of these incidents are turning deadly.”
Aggressive driving versus road rage
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the term “aggressive driving” first began to emerge in the 1990s to describe a category of unsafe driving behaviors, such as weaving through traffic, running traffic lights, tailgating and driving at excessive speeds.
Road rage occurs when aggressive driving behaviors become extreme or violent. Examples range from angry gesturing and cursing to confronting, sideswiping and brandishing of weapons and other violent actions or threats.
While aggressive driving behaviors are traffic violations, road rage behaviors other than gesturing and shouting are criminal offenses.
Earlier this year, Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund released its latest analysis of road rage shootings in the U.S., finding that such incidents have continued to increase every year since 2018.
In 2022, 554 people were shot during road rage incidents nationwide, resulting in 413 injuries and 141 deaths-twice the numbers from 2018. The incidence of road rage shootings last year equates to one person being wounded or killed in a road rage incident every 16 hours.
The same data revealed there were 3.8 people shot per 1 million residents during road rage incidents last year in Oklahoma, putting it third among five states with the highest rate of people shot in road range incidents. These states-New Mexico, Arizona, Oklahoma, Tennessee and Wisconsin-make up 8% of the U.S. population, but 20% of road rage shooting victims. In 2023 to date, one victim has been killed and another three injured during road rage shootings.
Reasons for road rage
According to the American Psychological Association (APA), some people are more prone to road rage than others. These high-anger drivers are more impulsive, engage in hostile thinking and are more likely to seek revenge over a purported wrong. While these drivers may behave appropriately on a quiet country road, the APA points to research indicating traffic congestion and other environmental factors can more easily set off road rage behaviors.
Data from the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety shows that nearly 80 percent of drivers expressed significant anger, aggression or road rage behind the wheel at least once within the previous 30 days. In a related study, the Foundation found potentially aggressive actions-such as tailgating, erratic lane changing or illegal passing-are a factor in up to 56% of fatal crashes.
While there are undoubtedly numerous reasons behind the growing problem of over-aggression behind the wheel, research from AAA and NHTSA point to a number of likely contributing factors:
Traffic congestion. No matter the cause, on-the-road delays and rising traffic congestion are frustrating for all. But some motorists have extremely low tolerance for delays, leading to tailgating, erratic lane changes and other aggressive behaviors.
Running late. A seemingly endless stream of errands and obligations weigh more heavily on some drivers than others, contributing to a pattern of aggression behind the wheel.
Anonymity. Some drivers feel insulated and detached from the outside world when in their vehicle, giving them a feeling of anonymity. For some, this causes an erosion of inhibitions to antisocial behavior, while the vehicle itself gives them a sense of power.
Changes in acceptable behavior. Just as other “norms” have changed over time-music, fashion, politics-human behaviors behind the wheel continue to evolve. It can become more acceptable to have less regard for law enforcement and fellow citizens as drivers “look out for number one.”
“Drivers should consider whether any of these scenarios apply to their own actions behind the wheel and take measures to resolve them. Learning techniques for stress-relief, better time management and anger control could help keep you and others safe,” Mansuetti says. “Think twice before making a rude gesture or laying on the horn and you’ll dodge a potential road rage incident.”
Avoiding road rage
While it isn’t possible to control another driver’s behavior, there are steps you can take to avoid becoming a victim of road rage. AAA has these tips for avoiding aggression on the roadways:
Practice polite driving habits. Follow the rules of the road and be courteous to others. If you inadvertently make an error that affects another driver, give a wave and smile. That simple act will often defuse a potential aggressor.
Slow down and let the aggressor pass. When you pull to the side or change lanes and let an aggressive driver pass, they will typically be glad they’re on their way and not try to engage further.
Keep your cool. Remember, you’re not the police. Even if a driver is doing a poor job, it is not your job to correct them. Give other drivers the benefit of the doubt and don’t take their errors as a personal attack. If you encounter an aggressive driver, do not make eye contact, display anger or engage in any way.
Lay off the horn. Save the horn for an emergency situation or tap it lightly if you need to alert a driver to a changed traffic signal. Do not use it to “call out” the driving behaviors of others.
Don’t drive under distress. Avoid driving if you’re angry, upset or fatigued. Never drive impaired.
Be realistic about your travel time. Consider the amount of traffic you’ll likely encounter and give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination without speeding or driving aggressively.
Call 911 if you’re threatened. Aggressive drivers can be reported to local police, but if an aggressive driver threatens or attacks you, call 911 immediately. Do not make eye contact or engage in any way. Drive to the nearest police station, fire station, convenience store or other public location with witnesses. Never drive home with an aggressor following you.
“Remember, driving isn’t a competition, so there’s no need to ‘one up’ another driver. Your only win should be staying safe,” says Mansuetti. “Keep your focus on your own driving and avoid actions that could make you a target of aggression from others.”
AAA provides automotive, travel, and insurance services to more than 63 million members nationwide and more than 400,000 members in Oklahoma. AAA advocates for the safety and mobility of its members and has been committed to outstanding road service for more than 100 years. AAA is a non-stock, membership corporation working on behalf of motorists, who can map a route, find local gas prices and electric vehicle charging stations, discover discounts, book a hotel, and track their roadside assistance service with the AAA Mobile app (AAA.com/mobile) for iPhone, iPad and Android. For more information on joining or renewing a Membership, visit https://cluballiance.aaa.com/.