May 13, 2020
If you regularly encounter aggressive drivers during your commutes, you are not alone. In fact, according to a recent survey, more than 80% of drivers report engaging in aggressive driving. Road rage is not a harmless expression of emotion, though. On the contrary, it is a leading cause of car accidents across the country.
The best way to avoid a collision with an angry driver is to deescalate the situation as quickly as possible. After all, a car accident injury may change your life forever, even if you pursue and receive reasonable compensation from the angry driver who caused the collision. Before you can deescalate, though, you must know how to spot aggressive drivers. Road rage typically starts with one of the following four types of behaviors.
- Speeding
At one time or another, virtually every driver has exceeded the speed limit. Still, if someone is driving too quickly to be safe, he or she may be prone to road rage. This is particularly true if a driver is tailgating your vehicle or trying to pass in an unsafe place.
- Blocking
Driving in and around Vero Beach requires constantly merging and exiting. If a driver blocks you from these normal maneuvers, he or she may be engaged in road rage. Similarly, if someone prevents you from changing lanes, driving at normal speeds or making other ordinary movements, your personal safety may be in jeopardy.
- Brake checking
Brake checking occurs when the driver in front of your vehicle suddenly slams on his or her brakes. If you do not hit yours immediately, you are at risk of a collision. Brake checking is an extremely dangerous maneuver.
- Obscene gesturing
Obscene gestures are a clear sign of road rage. There is no upside to engaging with an angry driver. We urge you to resist the urge to engage with an angry and dangerous driver.
Drivers who succumb to road rage are a hazard to other motorists, pedestrians and themselves. The car accidents they cause in Vero Beach and all over Florida take a tremendous toll. Innocent people are injured or killed, altering their lives and the lives of countless people around them. If you are one of the many victims of aggressive, unsafe drivers, it is important to act quickly to assert your right to compensation. The at-fault driver should be held accountable for the harm you’ve suffered.