Road rage is not new. However, it is becoming more prevalent. As our highways become more congested, the number of aggressive drivers continues to increase. The statistics are staggering. Eight out of every ten drivers will experience at least one road rage-related incident every year.
The availability of guns to the general public complicates the problem. These days, many people are driving around with a firearm in their cars. Each year there are 30 murders committed on the road by aggressive, rage-filled drivers.
Why is road rage on the rise?
Aggressive drivers tend to forget that there is a human being sitting behind the wheel of the cars that they encounter on the road. Instead, they view the vehicles around them as machines that are in their way. When you make a mistake such as driving too slowly or unintentionally cutting them off, these drivers go into full-on rages with you as their target.
How to protect yourself from aggressive drivers
These precautions may help you avoid becoming a road rage victim:
- Do not react to an angry driver. Ignore the gestures and volatile language and do not look them in the eyes. This is a trigger that can push them over the edge of reason.
- If you are being pursued by an aggressive driver, find the nearest safe spot and drive there. The other driver will probably leave if you pull into the police station parking lot.
- If the driver in front of you slams on their brakes for no reason and you hit them, call 911 immediately and pull off to the shoulder. Do not roll down your window if the other driver approaches you.
If you have been injured by an aggressive drivert, you may be able to recover the cost of your medical care and damages.