Everyone has times where someone cuts them off, brake checks them or drives incredibly slow in front of them. It is easy to get frustrated and take your irritation out on other drivers, but an important part of staying safe is ensuring that you know how to handle a situation when you are the one who caused the irritation.
In the past few years, deadly incidents were all too often the result of a driver who is in the middle of road rage. As a driver, you can defuse these situations and prevent accident, injury and even death if you handle them correctly.
Wave or smile to defuse the situation
If you cut someone off and proceed to be rude and angry, the driver is more likely to become increasingly frustrated. Drivers cannot possibly see everything, so there will be times when you make a wrong move. A simple wave, smile or sorry can quickly defuse a situation that would otherwise spiral out of control.
Set the tone in your vehicle
Have you been in a frustrating conversation with your spouse while driving? Is the music playing in your car likely to get you upset? If so, set the tone inside your vehicle to encourage calm, rational driving behaviors. You may not be able to control the behavior of other drivers, but you can calm things down when you are in the right mindset.
Space your vehicle correctly from others on the road
Always leave two car lengths of space on the sides of your vehicle and in front of you. This is the safest way to prevent accidents and road rage as you have time to react if the car in front of you changes lanes or must brake suddenly.
Seek the advice of a professional
Sometimes, despite your best efforts, others react in ways that you cannot predict, and this leads to accidents and injuries. If you were the victim of an accident with an angry driver, consider meeting with an attorney immediately.
