Road Rage Accidents - Knowing Your Options

Road rage is more common than ever, and you can decide for yourself what sets people off the most. Cell phones make distracted driving more prevalent than ever before. From texting and driving to taking selfies in traffic, you might find yourself more frustrated behind the wheel than ever before. Of course, cell phones aren’t the only thing that cause distracted driving, and distracted driving is not the only thing that causes people to feel road rage. It’s a feeling that makes it impossible to feel comfortable driving. A person suffering from road rage might feel overwhelming anger, they cannot focus, and their actions and reactions put you and everyone else on the road in danger. Here’s what you need to know about road rage and car accidents and how dangerous this is.

How Does Road Rage Cause Accidents?

Road rage works simply. It impairs your ability to focus and make wise decisions. For example, if you are late for work and get behind a driver who is driving less than the speed limit, their choice might make you angry. The later you are, the angrier you become. As your anger progresses, you might be more inclined to make dangerous decisions, such as passing someone in a no passing zone, going around someone in a turning late, or following too closely. Your anger is making your choices for you.

When your anger dictates your actions, it causes you to make poor decisions. When you make poor decisions behind the wheel, you are more likely to cause an accident. You don’t mean to cause an accident, but your actions increase this chance exponentially.

Furthermore, some people take their road rage to a whole new level. While most people might feel frustrated and follow too closely or pass when they know better, other people might let their anger cause them engage in more dangerous behaviors. For example, someone who suffer from anger issues might follow someone else home and threaten them, hit them, or start a fight. Someone who has anger issues and faces road rage might even present a weapon and threaten another driver.

Road rage causes car accidents all the time, and that’s why it’s important you learn how to handle your own if your susceptible to road rage. If you can handle your own road rage, you must learn to handle that of others, too. You can’t help how other people act or react when road rage is a problem for them, but you can learn to react well and prevent as many road rage incidents as you can.

How to Stay Calm and Prevent Road Rage

It’s often easier said that done, but a little practice makes it possible to channel the anger you feel on the road into more constructive behavior. One way to avoid road rage incidents is to practice leaving the house on time. When you’re running late, you’re more likely to rush and feel upset when other people are in your way. If you can, try leaving home five to 10 minutes earlier than usual so that you can arrive at your destination on time even if you get behind someone driving under the speed limit.

Turn on soothing music. When you listen to something classical or even spiritual, you will find your body and your mind respond to the music. Listening to loud, aggressive music can increase your rage and make you feel even more upset when you drive. This kind of soft, soothing music can help you feel calmer and more centered behind the wheel.

Practice five count breathing. This is a traditional form of breathing used in many yoga practices. It helps you stay focused and centered by focusing on your breathing rather than your thoughts. Start by inhaling for a count of five. Hold your breath for another count of five, and then exhale for another count of five. Do this as long as you need to, or until you feel yourself begin to calm down and focus on things other than your road rage.

Talk yourself down. Sometimes, all it takes to find a more peaceful place is to remind yourself that you’re not getting anywhere faster or making anything better by letting your rage take over. Yelling at the driver in front of you or tailgating their vehicle doesn’t speed up the drive or get you where you are going faster. It only serves to make you feel more upset and more aggressive, which never helps any situation on the road.

How to Handle Road Rage from Another Driver

When another driver seems to be agitated with your driving, don’t engage them. It might be tempting to slow down and further irritate another driver when you are being tailgated or someone seems upset, but it’s dangerous. Instead, remove yourself from the situation.

• Pull over and let aggressive drivers pass
• Move to the right lane if you are in the left lane slowing down left lane drivers
• Do not engage with another driver who is acting aggressively
• Do not drive home or to work if you think another driver is following you

It’s best to handle the road rage of others by disengaging their anger. However, it’s not always possible. Sometimes, you might become the victim of a road rage incident which can cause and accident, an injury or worse.

What to Do If You’re Involved in a Road Rage Accident

If you become a victim of someone else’s road rage, it’s good to know your options in moving forward. The first thing you should do is contact an attorney who can help you navigate your claim. You might be entitled to medical expenses, lost wages, and more. Pain and suffering, diminished earning capacity, and even loss of consortium might occur if you are involved in an accident, and you might be owed damages.

Call a car accident attorney who specializes in these types of cases and can help you with your case. If you’ve already suffered emotionally or physically as a result of someone else’s road rage, there’s no need to deal with your pain any longer. You have options, and it’s time you discuss them with a qualified attorney who knows the ins and outs of the law, and who knows how to help you seek damages for the issues caused by the road rage of another driver.