Aggressive driving and tailgating in 2023 remain fairly common among our male youth department. A distracted driver could end up angering another driver, ensuing in yelling, swerving, and aggression. The stress and frustration of Los Angeles traffic can become a violent experience for teens, in particular. But all ages can be hindered or empowered by angry drivers engaged in road rage behavior with triggered emotions.
As the economy weakens, road rage incidents tend to be on the rise in big cities and highways like those bordering Los Angeles and New York. A road rage incident is a type of confrontation that occurs when other drivers get infuriated after an argument, insult, or slight. Road rage incidents can be incredibly frightening to be the victim of this type of behavior in California, with aggressors weaving and riding your bumper for miles. No matter how many times you apologize in your rearview mirror, all you see is the tailgater mouthing words aggressively, in no mood to pleasantly discuss the situation or actions.
Road Rage Profanities and Swearing
The aggressive drivers involved in the confrontation may utter profanities and swear at you. Motorcyclists, pedestrians, and bicycle riders remain the most at risk of serious injuries and death from an upset driver due to the lack of roll cages and other protections.
Road rage can be frightening and result in physical harm for the aggressive driver and their intended reckless driving victims, especially a motorcyclist. It can also lead to an accident with the most courteous driver in the safest motor vehicle. Even though individuals can seek compensation through a personal injury attorney in California, the best thing for victims is to avoid getting injured. Here are some simple steps to take if you are getting road-raged when you want to take the driver’s seat, avoid being charged with a criminal offense, and get a green light all the way to your safe destination.
Stay Calm, Move and Lock Down
When you notice that someone is getting aggressive in front of you, keep moving, drive defensively, never make rude gestures, and secure the vehicle doors to avoid getting hurt. Roll up the windows too, and try and separate yourself from the threat with other cars. It can be very important to keep moving in heavy traffic, especially if the negligent operator has turned your trip into a dangerous situation with other motorists.
Gather Road Rage Incident Vehicle Information
If the situation starts to get out of control and leads to property damage, it’s important that you gather as much information about the other driver as possible immediately. You must do so while you avoid engaging in communications. So avoid eye contact, pay attention to driving safely and trying to steer clear, and avoid an assault or fight on the shoulder of teh road. This includes the license plate number of the suspect’s car and the make and model of the vehicle.
De-Escalate Road Rage Incidents
With road rage, your goal is to avoid reacting to or even making eye contact with the other driver road-raging at you. Doing so can help avoid escalating the situation from road rage to wrongful death or attempted vehicular homicide or at least a terrible bodily injury. When you can’t avoid road rage and can’t create a safe distance, tame your frustration and think fast.
Try Move Away From Aggressive Driving
If you can, try to get out of your way and let the person experiencing road rage go to another place. If it’s safe for you to do so, move over and allow them to pass. You can then increase the distance between you and them once those engaged in aggressive driving pass.
Provide a Cushion of Space
If you’re stuck behind a road rager, give them plenty of room to move around, paying attention so that you don’t spook the other car’s driver, making traffic worse. Congestion can make any civil driver feel stressed out. You should avoid getting too close to other vehicles as it can trigger road rage and violent anger in the traffic lanes and along the roadway. Try and weave through the danger and create a safe space as you dial 9-1-1 for help!
Find a Safe Place
If you are worried about your safety, don’t just go home, where you can be followed, targeted, and stalked by an aggressor. Instead, try to get to a well-lit area, such as a store or a police station, or a gas station. Even though you’ll be with other people, stay inside your vehicle behind the wheel until law enforcement or other help arrives at your car.
If you have a firearm, make sure you are following California law and keeping it unloaded and in a locked container to avoid turning problems against you. Don’t brandish or wave it to try and intimidate anyone, either. Remember to stay calm and “stay in your lane” until the highway is safe to drive your car on California roads again!
Hire Road Rage Professional for Legal Help With Road Rage Collisions
If you were suddenly a victim of road rage and suffered injuries as a result of the actions of another driver in 2023, you may be entitled to receive compensation from the suspect. To learn more about how we can help you, don’t hesitate to get in touch with our office today from anywhere in the country. Our experienced Los Angeles car accident attorneys are here to answer questions 24/7 to help you build a solid case and end up with a satisfactory financial outcome we like to call “justice.”