We’ve all been there: someone cuts us off in traffic, drives slow in the passing lane or tailgates right on our bumper. These types of rude or aggressive drivers can ruin an otherwise pleasant drive, and you may be tempted to lay on the horn or give a not-so-nice hand gesture. However, these reactions are not a good idea--you could be dealing with a driver who is prone to road rage.
What Is Road Rage?
Road rage is a general term for any sort of angry or out-of-control behavior while behind the wheel--usually brought on by frustration with another driver. And depending on what happens next, people can get hurt. That’s why when you encounter a road raging motorist, it’s important to know how to avoid escalating the situation.
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, police records show that there are more than 1200 incidents involving road rage reported each year in the U.S. Many of these episodes result in car accidents that cause serious injury or even death. The average road rager is young (the average age is 33) and overwhelmingly male, at 96.6 percent.
What Should You Do if You Encounter a Case of Road Rage?
If you encounter some aggressive behavior on the road, your reaction could mean the difference between life and death. There are ways that you can protect yourself from aggressive drivers, either while moving or at the scene of an accident. Here are a few important suggestions for how to deal with a road rage incident.
Stay Calm
When someone is behaving badly, it can be tempting to escalate yourself to their level. However, the best thing you can do when dealing with an aggressive driver is to remain calm, cool and collected. Doing this will prevent the road rager from becoming even more enraged by something you say or do. Staying calm will also allow you to think on your feet if you have to make a quick move to protect yourself.
Free up the Passing Lane
One thing that seems to drive road ragers bananas is to block the passing lane when they want to go faster and dodge surrounding traffic. Aggressive drivers can harass you from behind by flashing their lights, tailgating or beeping the horn. Even if you think you’re going fast enough, put on your right signal and move to the right line as soon as it’s safe to do so. Now the road rager can blow on by, hopefully leaving you alone. And under no circumstances is it a good idea to slow down just to aggravate the aggressive driver.
Avoid Eye Contact
While you might want to get a good look at the creep who’s bullying you on the road, try to avoid eye contact. This includes eye contact with any passengers who may be egging on the aggressor And definitely, don’t shoot any dirty looks or obscene gestures. Avoiding contact helps you to avoid taking the offense personally.
Give Yourself Breathing Room
When driving, it’s important not to tailgate yourself. You should always give yourself enough room to surround your car to allow you to pull out or around a car if an angry person tries to confront you.
Be Courteous With Your High Beams
If conditions call for the use of your high beams, make sure that you’re courteous when using them. If you see an oncoming vehicle, turn the lights back down to the low beams to avoid blinding the o her driver. Also, avoid driving right behind another vehicle with your high beams on.
Just Let Them Have the Parking Space
Believe it or not, many incidents of road rage occur in parking lots--, especially during the high-stress holiday season. One of the main sources of conflict is parking spaces. When parking is scarce, drivers will get aggressive to get a better space for themselves. If someone aggressively passes you or takes your space despite your turn signal indicating you’re paring in the space, just let them have it. It’s not worth dealing with a potentially dangerous person.
If You Get Into an Accident, Protect Yourself
Finally, if you end up getting into an accident with someone who has been driving aggressively or showing signs of road rage, it’s vital that you stay smart to ensure your safety. If the other driver angrily confronts you, stay in your car, lock the doors, and use your cell phone to call 911.
No matter how angry or shaken up you are yourself, do not engage with the angry driver. Stay calm, be polite and keep conversation to a minimum until police arrive. If you can do so inconspicuously, note the other car’s license plate, make, model and color in case the road raging driver tries to flee the scene to avoid liability.
Don’t Take It Personally
People might behave badly on the road for any number of reasons. Maybe they just learned of a death in the family. Or maybe they are trying to get a screaming baby to the hospital. It can help to tell yourself that an aggressive driver is probably having a problem of their own--and that you just happened to be there at the right time for them to take it out on you. It’s easier to forgive and let it go if you don’t think of the other driver as personally insulting you or trying to ruin your day.
A Connecticut Personal Injury Attorney Can Help You if You Suffered Injuries in a Road Rage Incident
Road rage incidents are scary, and in the worst cases, they can lead to accidents where people get hurt. Don’t take on the driver at the scene of the accident--take them on in court. The Hartford car accident lawyers of Leighton, Katz & Drapeau are here to help if you’ve been the victim of a car accident caused by road rage. Call (860) 875-7000 or contact us online to schedule your free case evaluation today.
