The National Safety Council describes road rage as “aggressive, sometimes violent, behavior by drivers usually stemming from stress related to driving or non-driving factors.” In other words, road rage involves committing traffic offenses to hurt someone else. Sometimes, it can be so bad that it results in fatal traffic crashes. In any case, if you suffer injuries due to another driver‘s rage, your Baltimore car accident attorney can help you get compensation.

Rage has a lot in common with aggressive driving. However, while aggressive driving is a traffic violation, road rage is a criminal offense. Aggressive driving may spiral into rage, but not every aggressive driving involves rage. Common examples of road rage include retaliatory behaviors like intentionally ramming into someone’s car, honking, driving on the sidewalk, etc.

If you’re a driver in Baltimore, Maryland, you must learn how to prevent yourself from committing road rage. It’ll also be wise to know what to do when you’re a victim of someone else’s rage. We’ll discuss those and more in this article.

What Are the Common Causes of Road Rage?

There are two types of road rage — habitual and situational road rage. While habitual rage is a learned behavior, situational rage happens because of the surrounding situations.

Regardless of the type, the following are the common causes of road rage in Baltimore, Maryland:

• Anonymity

Many road ragers know that their aggressive driving is criminal. However, they continue their action because they know you’ll probably never see them again.

• Distracted Driving 

Watching a distracted driver almost cause an accident can provoke you to rage. Uncontrolled anger can make anyone drive aggressively and attempt to get revenge against the irresponsible motorist.

• Gridlock  and Impatience 

Getting stuck in heavy traffic can be very annoying.  That’s more so when you’re in a hurry and cannot exercise patience. Impatient drivers tend to drive erratically and with rage. They may also annoy other drivers and trigger irritation in them.

• Stress 

Stress and fatigue make you less patient on the road and put you in the wrong psychological driving state. It can also trigger rage.

How Can I Prevent Road Rage?

There are different ways you can learn to prevent rage:

• Practice Anger Management

Anger is one of the root causes of road rage. So, if you have an anger problem, ensure that you attend anger management classes as soon as possible.

• Leave on Time 

You can avoid getting impatient in gridlock if you leave on time. In addition, by beating heavy traffic, you can significantly avoid road rage.

• Show Empathy and Be Patient 

Many drivers involved in road rage objectify their victims and don’t see them as persons. However, understanding that every motorist is human can help you develop empathy towards their situation. It’ll also make you more patient with other drivers on the road.

• Avoid Tailgating and Unnecessary Honking

Tailgating, honking unnecessarily, and distracted driving may irritate other drivers into a rage. So, be sure to avoid such triggers.

What to Do When You’re a Victim of Road Rage in Baltimore, Maryland 

If you notice that someone’s aggressive driving puts you in harm’s way, do the following:

• Do Not Engage Road Ragers and Keep It Moving 

The worst approach to dealing with road ragers is to respond to their rude behaviors. Don’t try to stop or engage them in insults and other aggressive behavior. Instead, keep moving, and keep a safe distance from them as much as possible.

• Pull Into the Nearest Police Department 

If the road rager is threatening, following, or harassing you, pull up at a police station if possible. It’s the best way to lose them as they’ll likely not pull up at the station with you. However, if their rage gets the better of them and they pull over, walk into the station and report them.

Contact Our Experienced Car Accident Lawyers at Pinder Plotkin LLC Now!

While road rage is a criminal offense in Maryland, it can also be a valid reason for civil action. So, when someone’s road rage causes an accident that hurts you, you can file a personal injury claim against them. In a successful claim, you’ll get enough damages to cover your medical bills and other financial losses.

If you want a seamless compensation claims process, our Baltimore auto accident attorneys can help. At Pinder Plotkin LLC, we have an unbeatable track record of successful compensation claims in Baltimore, Maryland. So let’s help you to get the compensation you deserve. Call us for a free case review right now.