Tips for Surviving a Road Rage Encounter
Aggressive driving is the number one complaint Colorado Springs police receive on a daily basis. Road rage behavior, police say, is becoming increasingly deadly.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aggressive driving is one of the leading causes of car accident deaths across America, and Colorado has the dubious distinction of being the state with the second highest incidences of road rage fatalities in the country.
How to Spot Road Rage
Almost everyone has seen aggressive drivers on the road. They often engage in dangerous and provocative behaviors such as:
- Flashing headlights
- Tailgating
- Cutting other drivers off
- Excessive honking
- Shouting at other drivers
- Making obscene gestures
- Driving too slowly in an effort to anger another driver
In the worst cases, aggressive drivers threaten or harm someone with a gun or other weapon.
What to Do When You Encounter Road Rage
Being subjected to a raging motorist can be a frightening and stressful experience. It can also be infuriating, causing your blood pressure to rise and your “fight or flight” instincts to kick in. It is easy to get caught up in the heat of the moment and react to aggressive behavior in a similarly aggressive manner.
These tips can potentially help you manage an aggressive driver situation, and hopefully keep it from escalating into dangerous road rage.
Keep Your Cool
If another driver is acting aggressively or trying to provoke you, shake it off. Don’t get sucked into their drama. Take the high road and remain courteous and cool. You have nothing to gain by lowering to the road raging motorist’s level, and everything to lose.
Report the Aggressive Driver
The best thing you can do when you spot an aggressive driver is report it to police. Do not try to take matters into your own hands. Many states have a road rage reporting mechanism. In Colorado, the Colorado State Patrol has established a hotline – dial *CSP (*277) – to report aggressive drivers.
CSP advises motorists who encounter a driver exhibiting road rage to contact the CSP as soon as is safely possible and be prepared to provide the following information:
- Vehicle description
- License plate number
- Location and direction of travel
- Driver description, and
- Description of the aggressive driver’s behavior
Drive Defensively
If you find yourself targeted by an aggressive driver, there are a few things you can do to help de-escalate the situation:
- Manage your own stress by taking deep breaths and turning on soothing music
- Keep space between you and the aggressive motorist, if possible
- If you cannot keep space between you and the aggressive driver, pull over to the side of the road so the aggressive driver can pass
- Keep doors locked
- If you are stopped in traffic, maintain enough distance between you and the car in front of you to pull out in a hurry if you have to
How a Colorado Springs Car Accident Lawyer Can Help
If you have been injured in a road rage accident or a loved one has been injured or killed due to the behavior of an aggressive driver, a Colorado Springs accident lawyer can help you hold the aggressive driver responsible for any personal injuries or wrongful death.
Contact the attorneys at Levine Law by calling 719-471-3000 or online for a free consultation.
