Road rage has always existed to some extent. It has certainly become more of a safety concern in recent years. Many drivers have a hard time controlling themselves when they feel frustrated by traffic conditions. Some motorists lack the ability to handle their frustration in an appropriate manner.
Instead of moving on after encountering another driver who travels too slowly or makes other maneuvers that they find frustrating, a driver begins to fixate on the perceived misconduct of another motorist. They may drive in an aggressive manner, shout profanities or even attempt to follow someone to their destination to have a face-to-face confrontation.
Most motorists are unsure of how to respond when they recognize the signs of road rage in another motorist. How can people mitigate the risk when another driver becomes angry and aggressive?
By remaining calm themselves
The worst thing someone can possibly do in a road rage scenario is to feed into the other driver’s anger by responding to their conduct. Retaliating by honking back, making rude gestures or rolling down a window to shout at someone may reinforce their desire to act out. Often, the best tactic for someone facing road rage is simply to remain calm and pay close attention to traffic conditions.
By ending the interaction
Someone experiencing road rage may merge in front of another driver and then repeatedly slam on their brakes. They might continue attempting to communicate with the other driver. They might even swerve into their lane of traffic in an attempt to make them pull over or crash.
To prevent the escalation of a road rage incident, it is often beneficial to change routes. Exiting the highway early or turning off down a side street can effectively end the encounter in many cases. It is generally not advisable to come to a full stop near the road rage driver, as some incidents result in assault or even a driver brandishing weapons.
Occasionally, those targeted by drivers experiencing road rage are unable to leave the situation or defuse it. In some cases, they may end up involved in a crash either with the road rage driver or someone else. Those involved in car crashes caused by road rage drivers may need to file insurance claims or prepare for litigation to cover their costs. Understanding how to respond to road rage can be as important as holding a driver accountable if they actually cause harm as a result of their behavior.