Handling the growing problem of road rage is essential, with incidents of aggression on the roads rising. According to a Forbes report, 41% of drivers witnessed an act of road rage in the last 12 months, with 32% reporting being on the receiving end of a road rage incident themselves.
Knowing how to handle road rage is crucial for your safety and peace of mind, as America’s drivers become more impatient and prone to dealing with their problems using aggression. In this guide, we provide eight actionable safety tips to keep your family safe if confronted by someone who's had a bad day.
Key Takeaways
Road rage is an aggressive roadway behavior that endangers people and property.
Examples of common behaviors include tailgating, excessive honking, yelling/gesturing, and physical violence.
The best way to handle another driver's anger is to stay calm, avoid getting out of your car, and extract yourself from the situation, such as by letting the other driver pass, changing your route, or driving to a police station.
If someone gets out of their car to confront you, stay in your car, lock your doors/windows, and call the police.
You have the right to sue if you suffer losses due to the actions of another driver, such as injury or damage to your car.
These incidents can increase your insurance rates if your actions result in an accident or injury to another driver. With aggravating factors, it can also lead to criminal consequences, escalating to a full-blown felony.
What is Road Rage?
Road rage is defined as aggressively driving a vehicle in a way that could endanger drivers, passengers, cyclists, pedestrians, and property, according to a definition provided by the Illinois State Police.
Examples of aggressive behaviors include tailgating, honking your horn repeatedly, throwing things at other cars, yelling at other drivers, or committing a moving violation in anger.
Believe it or not, it is a criminal offense. If you commit a violation with aggravating factors, it could even be a felony offense, resulting in jail time. According to Octo Telematics, 78% of drivers reported committing at least one aggressive driving behavior in the past year.
What we can conclude is that people are becoming more impatient on the roads. In a frightening twist, Everytown Research used the Gun Violence Archive’s database to find that road rage shootings have increased nationwide every year since 2018.
8 Tips to Handle Road Rage Incidents
Handling road rage incidents means keeping a calm head and adopting a defensive driving posture, regardless of what the other driver is doing. Never engage with an angry driver, and avoid rising to the bait. In some scenarios, you may even have to call the police or drive right to a police station.
Let’s run through seven tips on how to handle road rage incidents and avoid escalating in a way that will keep you safe.
1. Let the Other Driver Pass
Always let an aggressive driver pass you. Trying to “win” or “prove a point” by holding firm is not worth it. Many people argue that they have a right to their space on the road – and they’re right. The problem is others don’t necessarily respect this right.
If someone is driving aggressively, allow them to pass at a safe distance at the earliest opportunity. Never compromise your own safety or risk committing a moving violation to let them through.
2. Don’t Get Out of the Car
Getting out of the car is the easiest way to escalate a situation into violence. According to The Zebra, 6.2% of drivers witnessed drivers get out of their cars and involve themselves in a physical altercation.
There are two reasons never to get out of your car, even if a driver has blown their stack and is banging on your hood:
Physical altercations can still result in you being charged with a criminal offense, even if the other driver started it. Leaving the safety of your car doesn’t entitle you to use the self-defense argument because you weren’t forced to get out and have a fight.
You are at serious risk of injury and death. The other driver could have a weapon, whether a knife or a gun. Plus, other drivers might not expect you to be there, thus leading to a car accident.
Lock your doors and windows no matter what the other driver says or does. Practice deep breathing and mindfulness techniques to stay calm. If another driver is already outside of their vehicle, don’t be afraid to call the police and ask them to attend.
3. Get It on Camera
Protect yourself from a legal standpoint by capturing the incident on camera. Invest in a dashcam and keep it running so that you’ve got indisputable proof that you were the victim.
Should the situation escalate and the authorities get involved, you’ll need to show that you were the victim otherwise, it’s your word against someone else’s. Moreover, if you’re injured, dashcam footage could prove critical in claiming compensation.
If you don’t have a dashcam, use your phone to snap some photos or take a video. Try to capture the incident and their vehicle on camera, including their license plate number, so that the authorities can catch up to them later.
4. Be Assertive & Drive Defensively
Get into the habit of being assertive on the road and exude confidence in your actions. Don’t respond to aggressive driving habits with more aggression, or you risk escalating the situation.
Try to ignore the other driver and maintain your speed and position on the road. Avoid making erratic and unpredictable movements. For example, continue to use your turn signals to tell the other driver what you’re about to do. The rules of the road apply to you whether you’re the victim or not.
Additionally, driving assertively means you’re showing that you’re in control of the situation and you’re not about to be bullied. Most roadside tragedies occur because both parties played their part in making the situation worse.
It’s tough, but try to stay focused even when you feel threatened when facing road rage.
5. If You Are Being Followed, Do Not Go Home
Never go home if an aggressive driver begins to follow your vehicle. Going home without alerting the authorities puts your family at risk, even if the other driver sees where you live and then turns away. There’s no telling whether they’ll choose to come back later.
It’s every driver’s worst nightmare, but try not to panic if you’re being followed. Start by confirming that you’re being followed by taking a few turns and seeing what an aggressive driver does.
If you’re sure that you’re being followed, it’s time to reset your GPS and head to the nearest police station. Heading to a police station will usually spook the other driver enough to give up following you. Even if they turn back, it’s wise to lodge a report with local law enforcement anyway.
6. Use Your Voice and Actions Wisely
Keep control of your voice and actions because making the wrong move can unnecessarily escalate a situation, such as making eye contact or flipping the bird. Although it’s vital never to engage in confrontation, it’s also unwise to pretend that nothing is happening.
For example, giving a short honk can warn other motorists that something is happening. Likewise, consider your hand gestures. Signaling an apology can often snuff out a confrontational situation and allow everyone to carry on.
There’s a reason why law enforcement learn de-escalation techniques as part of their training. If you live in an area with large numbers of road rage incidents, or you want to do more to keep yourself safe, consider taking a class in de-escalation techniques.
7. Trust Your Instincts
Listen to your gut. If something feels wrong, it probably is. Your instincts are a powerful tool and alert you to impending danger.
For example, if you think that another driver is looking for a fight, consider taking a detour from your usual route to get out of the situation. Removing yourself from the vicinity can defuse threats and ensure you never encounter that driver again.
It’s not about backing down or losing face in a public setting. It takes two to tango in most situations, and if you simply listen to your instincts and keep a calm head, you can avoid 90% of potentially harmful situations.
8. Contact the Police
It’s not your job to deal with aggressive drivers on the road. Call the police if the other driver gets out of the car or you feel like you’re in impending danger. It’s their job to deal with drivers who are endangering others.
Remember, you’re allowed to use your phone to make a call if it’s an emergency situation. It’s the only time you won’t be ticketed for a moving violation. Of course, you ideally want to still pull off to the shoulder of the road because it’s safer, but if you’re in danger from an enraged driver, you’re entitled to call law enforcement even while driving.
What to Do if Someone Gets Out of Their Car
Another driver who gets out of their car to confront someone always has bad intentions in their mind. Never leave your vehicle to meet them because your vehicle is your best form of protection.
Here’s what to do if someone gets out of their car to confront you:
Step One – Lock your doors and roll up your windows to avoid engaging. It’s nearly impossible to break a modern car window without a weapon of some kind. Don’t leave your windows open even a crack.
Step Two – Get your bearings and assess escape routes if the situation escalates. For example, do you have enough space to gun it if the light turns green, or are you stuck in heavy traffic? You’re perfectly entitled to do what’s necessary to escape a life-threatening situation.
Step Three – Activate your car alarm and honk your horn to alert those around you to what’s going on. Attempt to draw as much attention to the situation as possible.
Step Four – Use your forward and rear dashcams to record the situation. You can also use your phone to shoot everything that’s going on. This type of evidence can be used to help the police press charges later or even file a personal injury lawsuit if they damage your vehicle.
Step Five – Call the police at the earliest possible opportunity. Road rage is a crime, and it’s always worth following through on a report because it keeps the roads safer for everybody.
Step Six – Extract yourself from the situation as quickly as possible. Don’t immediately drive home. Take a long detour to ensure they aren’t following you. If they follow you, drive straight to a well lit public area and/or a police station.
Some people might want to address the situation head-on by exiting their vehicle, but doing so puts you at risk of injury and legal complications. Your vehicle is your best form of defense if a driver has lost their mind.
What Legal Rights Do You Have Against a Road Rage Driver?
Legally, you have the right to sue, but only if you can prove losses. Like any car accident, you must prove that you sustained losses as a direct result of the incident. Simply experiencing an angry driver isn’t enough to provide you with compensation.
However, if your car is damaged or you suffer injuries, you may have the right to file a personal injury claim.
For example, let’s say Driver A gets rear-ended by a road rage driver. They’re uninjured, but their car sustained minor damage. In this scenario, you’d likely claim on your insurance for a few hundred dollars to repair your car.
However, if Driver B is rear-ended and the road rage driver drags them out of the car and hurts them, they may be able to claim for:
Medical bills
Emotional pain and suffering
Days off work
Future lost wages
Property damage
How much Driver B would be entitled to would depend on their monetary losses. In this case, Driver B would hire an Austin personal injury lawyer to assess their claim and put a dollar value on their losses.
Can You Sue a Driver for Road Rage?
You can sue a driver for road rage if you suffered losses because of their actions. Firstly, you’d need to prove negligence. In other words, you must prove that the road rage driver took action to cause loss. Afterward, you’d need to show that you suffered losses due to the incident.
That’s why gathering evidence of a road rage incident is critical. Examples of this could include:
Police reports
Medical bills
Property damage
Eyewitness reports
Photos
Videos
Traffic camera footage
Remember, hiring a lawyer to both gather evidence and build your case will spell the difference between proving your losses and receiving a fraction of what you could have been entitled to.
What is the #1 Cause of Road Rage?
Other drivers are the primary cause of road rage. An inability to let things go and a desire to escalate and lose control are always why enraged drivers spark road rage incidents. However, regarding irritating behaviors that initiate road rage, an AA poll found that 26% of people said tailgating was the most irritating driving behavior.
Other behaviors drivers reported as being irritating in the same poll included:
Talking on a cell phone.
Hogging the middle lane.
Swooping across several lanes to hit a motorway exit.
Overtaking on the inside.
Driving too slowly.
What all these behaviors have in common is they’re all driving offenses. If you partake in any of these behaviors, you’re liable to get ticketed.
How Does Road Rage Affect Your Insurance?
Road rage incidents don’t directly impact your insurance premiums unless you’re involved in an accident. Simply flipping someone the bird from your car window won’t result in you paying more in auto insurance overnight.
However, if you’re the cause of an accident, auto insurers could consider you a high-risk driver. Every driver must meet the Texas auto insurance minimum requirements to be road legal, and if you’ve got a history of excessive road rage, resulting in damages, insurers may require you to pay higher premiums.
It’s also vital to mention that many auto insurance policies specifically exclude damage caused by road rage. No insurer wants to be responsible for intentional aggressive behavior that puts someone at risk, meaning you could even end up paying for an incident out of your own pocket.
