Michael Benjamin, Executive Director, Institute for Mental Health Initiatives
Mr. Benjamin spoke following lunch the second day about managing anger
through self-examination and self-control, to prevent not only aggressive
driving and violence but such negative health consequences as heart attacks
and stress-related ailments.
by noting his "deja vu" experience upon entering the conference
the day before. He was referring to when the National Association of Counties
in 1974 launched a movement to decriminalize public inebriation in favor
of treatment remedies. His job then was to educate people on alcohol as
a treatable disease and on the notion that prevention works. Like people
who deal with aggressive driving now, he dealt then with many cross-cultural
issues and, as a trainer of law enforcement, empathized with their task
of having to maintain public safety while accepting the new paradigm of
treatment over arrest. But, continued Mr. Benjamin, the issue is much
more than one of law enforcement in that it affects the entire community.
He called for the inclusion of complementary perspectives on aggressive
driving that would factor in the following elements:
- Violence Prevention.
- Understanding aggressive
driving through a public health perspective.
- Intervention strategies.
of Mr. Benjamin's remarks are summarized below:
- The makeup
of the aggressive driver. Mr. Benjamin reiterated behaviors
identified by speakers the previous day as characteristic of aggressive
drivers, namely their high-risk behavior, their often uncontrolled anger,
and their propensity, when angered, toward violence. He identified violence
as the leading cause of physical injury and emotional distress in the
United States and identified aggressive driving as an aspect of violence.
leads to solutions. Mr. Benjamin said that by recognizing violence
and aggressive driving as a community problem amenable to public health
solutions of prevention and intervention, strategies to combat them
can begin to be implemented. These strategies would strive for the same
kind of positive results and heightened public awareness attained in
anti-smoking and seat belt wearing campaigns.
- The public
health approach. The public health approach is multidisciplinary
and invites many different strategies. Aggressive driving can be incorporated
into driver education and anger management classes, for example.
good behavior. "Kids have big ears," Mr. Benjamin
reminded participants. It is therefore important to model good behavior
for them, including behavior behind the wheel. Starting this educational
process as early as possible will lead to payoffs in the area of aggressive
driving, as well as in the home and community generally.
to heart attacks. Mr. Benjamin distributed a questionnaire to
participants, which he described as a tool used to highlight the relationship
of anger to heart attacks. Called "Do You Have a Hostile Heart,"
this self-examination tool sought to get at anger stemming from a hostile
outlook and a cynical view of peoples' actions. Questionnaire answers
help people determine whether they have a "hostile heart,"
the message being "lighten up" or you will kill yourself,
for internalizing anger hurts people and puts them at risk of heart
- Tips to take
home. Mr. Benjamin concluded his remarks by offering several
tips and suggested approaches for dealing with the problem of aggressive
- Take a public health approach and embrace the wisdom gained from diverse
perspectives and methods, which should include all segments of the community.
- Use scientific data to support strategies and proposed approaches.
Be clear on assumptions but know there are no "cookie-cutter"
- Keep elected officials informed: public dollars are needed to fund
- "Evaluate, evaluate, evaluate." Accountability is imperative
for knowing what works and what does not, particularly in light of scarce