With February being Aggressive Driving Month, itâs a good time to call attention to the increase of aggressive driving behaviors that are being seen nationwide. If youâve ever been on the receiving end of someone who is acting hostile towards you with their vehicle, you know how scary it can be and how instantly your life and those around you can be put in serious danger. Being in a precarious circumstance like this and feeling threatened, itâs hard to gather your thoughts and know exactly what to do to diffuse the situation. On the other hand, you may be guilty yourself of exhibiting some of these behaviors from time to time and need help controlling them before you or someone else gets hurt. Follow the tips below from your experienced Redding car accident lawyer for navigating the roads safely.
Recognize the Signs of Aggressive Driving
Knowing the signs of aggressive driving can help you to prevent harmful conditions from escalating and ultimately keep you safe. It doesn’t matter if they are older or younger than you, anyone can be an aggressive driver and for younger drivers, it can have a big impact on car insurance for teens should aggressive driving result in a collision. By knowing if someone is being aggressive, it can also make you more aware in case you begin to display these kinds of dangerous actions. Truckers may be less aggressive if they are not tired so purchasing a federal mandate may be a great solution. These signs may include:
- Cutting off or passing other cars
- Tailgating
- Flashing lights and honking the horn excessively
- Offensive body language and/or yelling
- Ignoring traffic signals
Staying Out of Harmâs Way
You can never fully trust the actions of others who are out on the road, so itâs critical to practice defensive driving at all times, which goes far beyond sticking to the posted speed limit or properly using your turn signals. If you begin to notice another driver showing any of the signs of aggressive driving mentioned above, do your best to remain polite and avoid them by:
- Giving them plenty of room and staying out of their way without pulling over to try and discuss things.
- Not returning obscene hand gestures or language.
- Refraining from making eye contact and making yourself a personal target of their aggressiveness.
- Keeping your competitive nature in check when it comes to driving.
- Seeking out help as soon as you can safely call the police from a cell phone or make it to a public place where there are plenty of people around.
Keeping Your Cool Behind the Wheel
There are many everyday stresses in our lives that can inadvertently lead to aggressive driving. If you know that you can be prone to this type of behavior, itâs best not to get behind the wheel of a car until youâve cooled down. Since that may not always be a possibility, reduce your level of tension by:
- Getting enough sleep.
- Giving yourself plenty of time to get where you need to be.
- Listening to relaxing music in the car instead of anything that will get you hyped up.
- Practicing calming breathing techniques.
- Not letting other driversâ bad driving personally affect you.
Two of the most important things to remember when caught in an aggressive driving situation is to never get out of your car to confront the other person and never allow them to see where you live. If you become the victim of an aggressive driver and suffer serious injuries as a result, consult with a Redding car accident lawyer right away.
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