The statistics around road rage encounters are frightening. Over 90% of people say they witnessed some type of road rage incident in 2023. Aggressive driving is one of the leading contributors to fatal crashes, and hundreds of people lose their lives to road rage every year.
Thus, it’s important to know how to keep yourself safe during a road rage encounter. Here are some important things to remember.
Try not to react
A reaction can only escalate a road rage encounter. Ideally, you shouldn’t respond or even make eye contact with the aggressor. In many cases, they will simply move on once they realize they aren’t going to get a response.
One thing that definitely should be avoided is leaving the vehicle. As mentioned, road rage-related fatalities have increased in recent years, and these tend to happen when both drivers leave their vehicles.
Focus on remembering
Rather than reacting, it can be more beneficial to channel your energy into remembering. Think about what the driver looked like. What type of vehicle were they driving? What exactly did they do? These are all things that you can report to the authorities when it is safe to do so.
Only pull over at a safe spot
If the aggressive driver is tailgating and not moving away from you, then it may be safest to get off of the road to avoid a crash. However, where you decide to pull over is pivotal. Don’t pull over at home or at your workplace. Instead, try to find a public spot where there is a high likelihood of police presence.
If you were injured in a road rage encounter that involved an aggressive or violent driver who caused a collision, then personal injury compensation may be available to you. Seek legal guidance to find out more about your options.