There have been 12,610 injuries and 218 murders attributed to road rage in a span of seven years in the United States, according to SafeMotorist. More than one in four Americans frequently witness road rage.
Most of the people hardly think of the term “road rage” until they find themselves smack in its midst. It can frighten somebody and/or can become life-threatening. Being cut off or driving slowly can quickly escalate into rude behavior or threats.
Try to remain calm and avoid danger in such situations.
Let us now dive into what to do in a road rage incident.
Stay Calm and Assess the Situation
When road disputes arise, simply pause and think about how these things may have come about. Try to take in everything happening around you.
The key is to just trust yourself and see what the other guy does. Are they being mean? Are they just angry? Have in mind that what you may do will determine what the other driver will do next.
Avoid aggravating the other party. If possible, do not take your hands off the wheel of the vehicle prior to any incident.
Try going home, calling the police, or attempting to calm the aggressor if he or she seems to have bad intent. This might work, or it might just save your life.
Avoid Escalation and Maintain Distance
Stay away from the angry driver.
If you think you might be in danger, do not engage in a fight and just keep your eyes on the wheel. Do not look at the individual. Do not respond to his horns or hand signs and focus on staying safe.
Take a detour road if you want to maintain distance. Should you decide to stop at once or slow down, a quick flash of lights should be signaling other drivers to your actions.
Prioritize being safe. Should the driver keep following you out of harm’s way or keep issuing threats, then seek help from some public place or police station.
Remain calm and alert to unfolding events while all of this takes place.
Document the Incident
Road rage events are too traumatizing, so if you get to witness such an event, it is best to record it for the sake of security or to use in court.
Pull into a safe spot and try to take as many photographic details regarding the incident as you can with your camera phone. Some of the pictures should be of the damaged areas of your vehicle along with the other party’s vehicle. The picture should also include details about the accident scene. Write down relevant information, including the time, date, and even the weather conditions.
See to it that you get the plate number of the other vehicle. Don’t forget to record any identifying marks of the driver with respect to their appearance or how they behaved during the incident.
If there are witnesses, kindly request their contact details. Keep all business paperwork organized, for these might turn out to be useful at some stage when making claims to insurance.
According to car accident lawyer Luis P. Guerra, Esq., there are many factors involved with every specific case, which makes it difficult to know just what is important and what is not. Your attorney will be able to detail exactly what witness information, evidence, photographs, documentation, and other items they will need to best assist you with your case
Report the Incident to Authorities
Whenever you feel scared or when the damage you sustained is serious, inform the police about it.
Once you have guaranteed your safety, it is advised that you should call the police and provide them with whatever information they need, whether it be the registration of the other involved car or the names of those whose eyes had witnessed everything in total. Picture or video of the event should be sent.
The type of evidence you can collect will be very helpful for both the police report and any potential court case. Don’t be easy on the person who did it.
Do not hesitate to call for law enforcement if you think that you need any help to get things underway. They would keep you safe and even intervene if there is a possibility of the opposing driver threatening other people.
Seek Support and Reflect on the Experience
Think for a moment about the immediate experience after seeking assistance from somebody. In the company of close family or friends, they might well be able to help you straighten out your feelings or gain clarity. Sharing what you feel with somebody worthy will rid any negative feelings attached to that incident.
Take some time and think about the incident. Ask yourself, what triggered the encounter? Once the background behind the road rage incident is known, one can try and avoid anything that might bring about this kind of incident.
Writing down your feelings helps clear your mind. Being afraid is alright.
By following through with these steps, you will reclaim focus in your life and bring any future occurrences of road rage to a minimum.
