Road rage is a serious issue. While it is understandable to be upset with other drivers that are driving aggressively, it is extremely important to remain calm and avoid any escalation. Road rage incidents are becoming more and more dangerous.
According to Bankrate, in Tennessee alone, there were 68 road rage incidents involving firearms between 2014 and 2016. Understanding how to prevent and manage road rage can help you to avoid dangerous and deadly accidents.
Don’t Take It Personally
First, do not take the other drivers’ actions personally. The vast majority of the time, other drivers on the road are not purposefully trying to upset you; they are simply careless or not paying attention to the road. Understanding that most of their acts are a result of carelessness or inattentiveness is important because most of the time, any incidents that may induce road rage are simple mistakes.
We all make mistakes, and sometimes those include cutting someone off in traffic. This can easily happen if you’re not paying close enough attention, cannot see them in your blind spot, or end up following someone too closely without realizing it.
While it can be infuriating to experience what seems like a direct threat to you and your passengers on the road, try to remember that it is rarely intentional. It is more commonly just a mistake, and everyone was lucky that those careless mistakes did not lead to more serious consequences such as a collision.
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Relax
There are a few techniques you can utilize to help yourself relax and calm down if you feel like another driver is causing you to experience road rage. Consider these options:
- Take some deep breaths
- Evaluate the situation and realize that no one is trying to upset you
- Turn on soothing or relaxing music
- Imagine that a friend or family member is driving the other vehicle
- Think about how much worse the situation will be if your road rage causes you to get in a wreck or get a ticket
By utilizing these techniques, or others at I Drive Safely, you will experience less stress and avoid any potential incidents on the road. If you can change your mindset and remain calm following another driver’s careless but dangerous mistake, you can quickly alter the tone of the entire event. When you remain relaxed, there is no chance of an argument, encounter, shouting match, or another incident.
Do Not Escalate the Situation
Next, it is important to avoid the other driver’s road rage due to a mistake you made on the road. DO NOT ESCALATE any potential confrontations. If other drivers are trying to instigate a confrontation, simply slow down and get out of their way. Do not engage them or argue.
By engaging another driver who is experiencing road rage, you will only make the situation worse. While it may seem difficult to simply ignore the driver, it is the best course of action. Road rage incidents are becoming more common and dangerous. You never know when another driver may have a gun or another weapon. It may not be just an argument you are trying to avoid.
“Walking away” from the situation and “turning the other cheek” will help to prevent any potentially dangerous or deadly confrontations with another driver who may not be able to control his or her actions. While there is no excuse for anyone acting out of anger, you have no control over another person’s behavior. Your best option is to control your actions and remove you and your passengers from harm’s way.
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Think About the Big Picture
Finally, think about the big picture. No matter what the other driver did to you, or what the other driver thinks you did to them, getting to your destination safely is the most important goal. There are enough hazards on the road. Letting your anger or another’s cause a potentially deadly hazard or confrontation is unnecessary and unwarranted and does nothing to get you to your destination faster, and only leads to trouble.
Losing your temper and creating an incident, or allowing one to escalate, cannot do anyone any good. You will not feel better afterward, even if you win the argument. It is better to be safe and healthy than to prove your correctness but suffer injuries or cause someone else to get hurt.
Recovering Compensation for Injuries that Occurred in Road Rage Incidents
If another person’s careless mistake causes a crash, it is only natural to be upset. However, try to keep your emotions under control and focus on the physical injuries suffered. You need to take steps to safeguard your well-being and the health of any passengers or others hurt in the collision or incident.
First, ensure you are safe. Do not get out of your vehicle if another party is trying to confront you unless remaining inside could lead to further injuries. Next, contact first responders. Explain the situation and tell them you need law enforcement and paramedics.
Once the first responders arrive, they will check you for injuries, analyze the situation, and prepare an incident report. You should explain what happened in detail but stick to the facts. They do not need your opinion or best guess. This report will become evidence to support a claim or lawsuit for compensation. Other evidence in these cases includes:
- Eyewitness statements
- Video or photographs
- Your relevant medical records
- Accident reconstruction
- Expert interviews
- Documentation of your damages
A personal injury lawyer will likely be able to prove what happened and seek compensation for you based on the facts of the case. In most cases, it is not necessary to prove that road rage occurred to win a financial recovery, only that the other party’s careless actions caused the crash.
Contact Morris Bart, LLC About Your Car Accident Case Today
If you were hurt in a road rage-related incident, turn to the Morris Bart law firm. An auto accident lawyer in one of our 15 offices will help you fight for the highest possible settlement. If your case goes to trial, our attorneys can represent your interests in court. We represent clients in Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Call us today to arrange a free consultation.
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