Do you know what you need to do when you’ve been involved in a road rage incident? Driving can be stressful, especially if you don’t have much experience. With so many aggressive and distracted drivers, road rage is common. Road rage is aggressive driving that could take various forms. It may include speeding, tailgating, and weaving.
Almost 80 percent of drivers have expressed aggression or anger while driving at some point. Unfortunately, it is a common cause of accidents. If you have been in a road rage incident, here are a few tips to help you.
Prioritize Your Safety
While you may not be in full control of the situation, you should do everything you can to stay safe. Avoid getting out of the car, especially if you are in an area with high traffic.
Here are other tips to stay safe:
Lock Your Doors
Avoid opening your doors and windows, especially if the other driver appears to be threatening you. Stay in your car and avoid reacting to aggressive drivers. While you may be inclined to react when a driver tailgates or cuts you off, you should stay calm.
Get Out of the Way
Turn on your signal and move over when it is safe. The idea is to maintain as much distance from the aggressive driver as possible. Instead of pulling off to the side of the road, find a safe spot to stop. Go to a shopping center or police station. Do not go home as the other driver might follow you.
Avoid Eye Contact
Enraged drivers might get angrier if you attempt to make eye contact with them. Some interpret it as confrontation. It is safer to focus on the road. Although the situation may seem personal, remember that it isn’t.
Get the Other Vehicle’s Details
Record the other vehicle’s make, model, and license plate number. Should the case escalate and there is damage to your car, you need something to hold the other driver accountable.
Contact Someone
Get your phone and contact a loved one or the police as soon as possible. Your mobile phone can be one of your best friends when your safety is at risk. If you believe that the other driver could be following you or that a confrontation is unavoidable, contact the police or 911 immediately.
Preserve Your Claim for Compensation
In addition to protecting yourself, you must also think of your rights to receive compensation. If you have been in a road rage crash, speak with a lawyer at Wieand Law Firm as soon as possible.
Write down everything that happened while you can still remember. The most important questions to answer include: What did the other driver do? Were you injured? And when did the crash happen? Get as much video evidence as you can and take witnesses’ accounts. Take pictures, and do not forget to get a police report.
Seek Medical Attention
It is important to seek medical care after an accident, even if your injuries don’t seem to be serious. Your doctor will examine you and give a diagnosis. If you don’t have medical records, it may be difficult to get compensation for your medical expenses. You may also have a hard time proving that your injuries were from the accident.
Don’t Say Too Much
Do not speak to anyone about the incident. Wait until the police arrive and speak to them about what happened. When speaking to insurance providers, be careful about what you say.
Insurance providers will use some tactics to deny or lower the quality of your claims. Insurance adjusters are always looking for opportunities to transfer the fault to you. If you say too much, you may reduce your likelihood of getting compensation.
Road rage is more common than you may imagine. It is a combination of various minor incidents like tailgating and assault. Anyone who has ever been on public roads has experienced a level of road rage at some point.
The most important thing to do during such instances is try to keep things from escalating. Avoid confrontation and protect your right to get compensation. Get as much evidence as possible and speak with your attorney. Remember to seek medical intervention even if your injuries seem to be minor.
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