There are many choices and behaviors that could result in motor vehicle collisions. Difficulty controlling emotional reactions can play a role in an individual’s crash risk. Those who succumb to their intense emotions while driving can make impulsive decisions that have long-term consequences.
According to researchers looking at traffic behaviors, the number of reported road rage incidents in recent years has increased significantly. Maryland has seen quite a few incidents that have resulted in collisions and even in armed confrontations. Drivers need to be ready to protect themselves and their passengers if someone else displays irrational behavior in traffic.
How road rage causes injuries
There are two main mechanisms through which road rage can cause injury to people. The first is through preventable collisions. When a driver loses their temper in traffic, their conduct can increase crash risk.
Road rage drivers may cut others off in traffic and slam on their brakes. They may swerve into other lanes of traffic to frighten people. They can cause dangerous distractions by honking, screaming at people and trying to maintain their attention.
Road rage drivers can also injure people by following others to their destination and initiating a confrontation that culminates in an assault or worse.
How should drivers respond to road rage?
Generally speaking, there are two ways to reduce risk in a road rage scenario. The first involves ignoring the other driver. By failing to feed into their anger, a motorist targeted by a road rage driver could keep the situation from escalating.
The second option is to reroute to avoid the road rage driver. Road rage incidents frequently occur on high-speed streets, such as interstates. By exiting and taking an alternate route to a destination, motorists may be able to avoid ongoing misconduct and could reduce their risk of an in-person confrontation.
In scenarios where a road rage driver seems intent on following another motorist, it may be necessary to contact law enforcement or drive to a public location, like a grocery store. The presence of other people could limit the misconduct of the motorist experiencing road rage.
If a road rage incident results in a car crash or other injuries, the person targeted by the road rage driver may need to take action. Call the police immediately to report the crash. Filing an insurance claim or even a lawsuit can help hold a motorist with road rage accountable for their bad behavior. Depending on the situation, follow-up in a criminal action with the State’s Attorney may be necessary to obtain Court ordered restitution.
