Driving can be an emotionally frustrating task, and unfortunately many have suffered the consequences because of that. Even if a driver is not drunk or distracted, a motorist filled with road rage can be a danger to many others on the street.
Unfortunately, Nebraska is not lacking in angry drivers on the road. When the Auto Insurance Center analyzed over 100,000 Instagram posts that mention #RoadRage, the Cornhusker State had the most posts in 2017. With the holidays approaching, you should be aware of how to properly behave around enraged drivers to avoid getting in any serious accidents.
Provoking them
Dealing with an angry driver can understandably make you feel a little mad too. Other motorists should not have to suffer from someone else’s temper tantrum. However, Progressive recommends acting courteous on the road to set a good example for others and avoid making the situation worse. If the bitter driver catches you making eye contact, throwing obscene gestures or repeatedly honking at them, they can become more confrontational in their driving approach and will be difficult to deal with if you two crash.
Driving near them
You cannot exactly calm a furious driver down given that you do not know them or how they emotionally function. Instead, try to get to a further lane or maybe take a detour to avoid staying on the same road as them. If you attempt to pass the driver by speeding in an adjacent lane, they could take that as a challenge and try to get closer or pass you to prove a point. If you drive too close behind them, they could see it as tailgating and will become further enraged.
Let it go unreported
If you manage to catch a glimpse of the car’s type and license plate number, the Nebraska Safety Council recommends reporting the car and where the driver is going to your local police department so that they can take action and prevent any serious injuries from occurring. Try not to do so while driving so you can avoid negligent accidents yourself.
No matter if it’s from a bad day at work or a rush hour that’s busier than usual, drivers should avoid taking their aggression out on the road. Their anger could lead to potential injuries and fatalities if it goes unchecked. Any victim should seek aid from a personal injury attorney so they can recover from the other driver’s unwarranted attack.