BOLTON motorists are being urged to keep their cool in a campaign aimed at promoting courtesy on the roads.

The Highways Agency and the Polite Society have organised a special event on Friday with the message "Courtesy Day - Get There Safely" - displayed on signs on the M62, the M6 and the M56.

It is hoped the campaign will promote greater tolerance and better behaviour on the roads in the wake of a rise in so-called "road rage" incidents.

A survey carried out in the summer has found that more than 70 per cent of drivers have experienced verbal abuse or violent confrontations on the road.

The survey found that at least 17 per cent of drivers had been forced to pull over or off the road by another driver and more than seven per cent had been threatened by a driver who got out of his or her car. Three per cent of company car drivers and one per cent of private motorists had been physically attacked.

In Bolton, a man was stabbed and another had his ear bitten in a horrific incident on Longcauseway, Farnworth, recently.

In another incident in Bolton a man his car a smashed the windscreen of another car while a terrified woman driver sat inside. Earlier in the year a man was beaten up following an incident in Chorley Street near Bolton Royal Infirmary.

The Highways Agency has issued a guide to show courtesy on the road which includes:

Leaving a safe distance from the vehicle in front.

Not hogging the middle lane.

Not cutting in too closely after overtaking.

Giving way to other motorists when joining traffic from a slip road.

Using the courtesy hand signal to apologise or say thank you.

And to avoid stress and confrontations, drivers should:

Try to stay calm and avoid challenges.

Avoid eye contact with other drivers.

Try to unwind before setting off on a journey.

Try not to retaliate to aggression.

Highways Agency Chief Executive Lawrie Haynes commented: "We are delighted to be working with the Polite Society to encourage better driving behaviour and to urge drivers to show more consideration to one another.

"Accidents and hold ups are often caused by drivers acting selfishly and we hope this campaign will encourage drivers to think twice, not just on October 4 but every day."

Polite Society Chairman, Gerry Hanson said: "We are trying to persuade people not to use the term road rage because it could become an acceptable excuse for unacceptable behaviour.

"What we are talking about can at best be described as bad mannered driving and at worst uncontrolled temper spilling over into violence and even death."

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