The holidays are here, and as much joy as they can bring, they also cause a great deal of stress. This could translate to issues on the roadway.
Road rage may not be seasonal, as it happens at various times of the year. However, if you want to be sure to enjoy your holiday season, you may want to pay particular attention to drivers who may not be having as much fun as you are.
Recognizing a potential road-raged driver
Would you recognize a driver that could easily tip the scales into becoming a full-fledged road-raged driver? Maybe not. The instances of road rage that make the news are often extreme cases. There are plenty of behaviors that could qualify that you would probably not consider unusual. However, they could cause an accident just the same. Take the following for example:
- Tailgating or following improperly
- Weaving in and out of traffic
- Driving well above the posted speed limit
- Driving too fast for the current road conditions
- Failing to yield the right-of-way
- Failing to adhere to other traffic laws
- Failing to obey traffic signals or signs
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the above driving behaviors could be aggressive since they put you and everyone else in danger. Research done by the AAA Foundation reveals that, even though people are concerned about aggressive driving and road rage, they fail to recognize it in their own driving behaviors.
Disproportionate amounts of fatalities that occur on roadways here in Missouri and across the country occur due to aggressive driving. It may not seem fair, but if you encounter a driver exhibiting behaviors that could easily turn into road rage, it’s best not to provoke a confrontation. For example, if he or she wants to pass you, let it happen in as safe a manner as possible.
If your efforts to avoid such a driver fail
No matter how much you attempt to avoid becoming the victim of aggressive driving, the other driver may not give you a choice. Whether by design or mistake, that driver may cause an accident in which you are unable to avoid becoming involved. If that happens and you suffer serious injuries, you may exercise your right to pursue compensation for the financial losses and other damages incurred as a result of the crash.
