Everyone experiences frustration while they’re driving. Getting caught behind a slow driver or getting stuck in traffic happen to us all. But at what point does that frustration turn us into dangerous drivers? When people let their anger get the best of them while driving, their road rage can make them drive dangerously and threaten the lives of others.
If you or a loved one has been in an accident because of an aggressive driver, it’s important to know that you don’t have to go through this alone. You can seek legal options. A Lexington car accident lawyer from the Law Office of Todd W. Burris can help you get compensation for your injuries and damages.
What Does Road Rage Entail?
Road rage comes in different forms. They’re all dangerous, distracting, and increase the chance of causing an accident because the person is focusing on their rage instead of the road.
- Vocal. Vocal road rage includes yelling and screaming at other drivers.
- Physical. In more dangerous cases, people with road rage might try to hurt another driver with the use of a weapon or by using their car as a weapon to damage the other vehicle.
People develop road rage when they feel that another driver has wronged them. In these situations, it’s best to give the other driver the benefit of the doubt or let them get ahead of you so you can focus on driving and not retaliation.
Avoid Inciting Road Rage
You never know if you’re driving next to someone who is easily provoked. These following tips will help keep everyone calm on the road.
- Allow People to Pass. If you’re in the left lane and you see a car approaching behind you, move over to the right lane and let them pass you. You don’t want to be the person keeping them from passing correctly in the left lane.
- Don’t Tailgate. Leave a space cushion between you and the cars around you. Tailgating is dangerous and if the car in front of you needs to suddenly break, you will crash into them.
- Only Use Horn in Emergencies. People angrily honking horns never solved anything and bothers everyone around them. Only use your horn if you need to alert another driver of an emergency, like if they’re about to hit you.
Don’t Drive Aggressively
There are a few steps you can take to avoid putting yourself in situations that could cause road rage.
- Don’t Act on Frustration. If another driver frustrates you, don’t go after them. It may be annoying, but retaliating will only make it worse. Nothing can be resolved when you let our frustration influence your driving.
- Give Yourself Time. Slow drivers often make people annoyed, especially if they’re on a time crunch. Leave a bit early and give yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.
- Remain Calm. If something bothers you on the road, don’t let it make you angry. Keep a cool head and focus on your driving.
Use these tips to make yourself a safer driver and potentially stop instances of road rage while driving. Driving with more patience and calmness could help prevent car accidents and potentially save lives.
