A driver who is overly aggressive puts you in danger. If someone else has road rage, the odds that you will be involved in a serious accident go up, even if you do not suffer from this disorder yourself. You can be as safe as possible, but your safety is always in the hands of other drivers, as well.
If you do feel that a driver near you is experiencing road rage or driving in a reckless and aggressive manner, here are some tips that can help you stay safe.
Do not escalate the situation
You’re best off not even responding. If someone makes a gesture in your direction or honks their horn, do not return that. You may even not want to look at them or make eye contact, as this can make it worse. It’s best just to ignore the issue so that you don’t increase your own risk levels, even if you know that the other driver is in the wrong.
Don’t stop, but keep your distance
If you stop to let the other driver go by, they may also pull over, thinking that you want to get out of your cars and have a vocal or physical altercation. It is wise to continue driving so that they don’t mistakenly think you want this, but to move over to a different lane, slow down, take an exit, or otherwise keep your distance from that vehicle.
If all of this doesn’t work, it may be best to have a passenger call the police to report what’s happening. If you do get involved in an accident that that aggressive driver causes, then you also need to look into your options to seek compensation for your injuries.
