Driving can be stressful. You have to deal with impatient and aggressive drivers honking, tailgating, cutting you off, or even hogging in the middle lane. As a result, feeling angry when behind the wheel or getting a bit snippy is not uncommon.
But what should you do if you ever find yourself in a road rage incident?
Things you should do during a road rage incident
The truth is, there is nothing much you can do to stop another driver from yelling, making angry gestures, or pounding on the horn in anger. But, at least, you can try to control your attitude and behavior to prevent the situation from going bad to worse.
Some of the things you can do to avoid being dragged into a road rage situation:
- Never get out of your car to face another driver who is trying to force a confrontation.
- Always acknowledge your mistakes fully and in a friendly way if you are in the wrong.
- Never overreact to another driver’s bad driving, and always measure your responses if you have to say anything.
- Always ensure you are in your best frame of mind when driving.
- It is good to include possible delays when planning your driving to avoid being overly upset by traffic jams and other reckless drivers.
- Always keep your car doors locked and call 911 or drive to the nearest police station if things begin to get messy.
While these actions may help protect you during the road rage incident, sometimes things will blow out of proportion. The other driver may bump or ram your vehicle on purpose or confront you, causing severe injuries or property damage.
Things you should do after a road rage incident
Hire a specialist car accident lawyer
If the other driver caused you injuries or property damage, it is important not to deal with them directly. Instead, you need to hire a skilled car accident lawyer such as Jacoby & Meyers to deal with the insurance company, the other driver, and their attorney to ensure you get the rightful compensation.
Seek medical help
When a road rage incident results in injuries, it is critical that you get examined, diagnosed, and treated.
Even when the emergency medical help team has checked you out at the accident scene, it is crucial to see a doctor. Doing this will help rule out the possibility of any hidden injuries that might not manifest until after a few hours or days.
Besides ensuring your health, seeking medical help will provide you with important medical documents to support your claim.
Call your insurance provider
After receiving medical attention, it is always a good idea to reach out to your insurance provider to inform them that you were involved in an auto crash. During this call, make sure you don’t disclose anything other than the location and date of the accident, your contact information, and your lawyer’s contact details.
Be careful when dealing with insurance company agents. These individuals will seem friendly and might fool you into saying and doing things that might eventually hurt your claim. Therefore, if the representative asks you any questions about the incident, refer them to your car accident lawyer. Doing this will help you avoid the unscrupulous tactics that insurance companies use to deny or lower compensation.
Closing thoughts
Road rage can lead to accidents, injuries, or even deaths. Understanding how to stay calm under pressure will help you ensure your own safety. More importantly, knowing what to do after a road rage incident will help you fight for a fair and just recovery.
Interesting related article: “What is a Personal Injury?“