California’s highways are busy and once you hit inner city traffic, they are often congested. No one likes to sit idling in traffic, but some drivers handle it much better than others. Those folks who don’t handle it well tend to be aggressive drivers and they are a danger to everyone who encounters them.
It doesn’t take much to trigger an aggressive driver. The scary thing is that a raging driver behind the wheel can cause serious accidents. That’s why California takes a hard stance against road ragers. When caught, they can be fined or even jailed – but that may not be enough to stop you from encountering one.
Protecting yourself from enraged drivers
At the first sign of trouble with an enraged driver, taking these precautions may protect you:
- Let the driver pass and watch out for brake checks once they are in front of you,
- Do not react. Instead, ignore any inappropriate gestures or volatile language that’s directed at you.
- Get out of their way if you are being tailgated. It’s better to be a little delayed than hurt.
- Avoid making eye contact with an enraged driver. This is a trigger that can quickly escalate the situation.
The problem is that enraged drivers do not see human beings sitting behind the wheel of the cars that they pass. To them, you and your car are simply an object that is in their way. When you make the mistake of unintentionally cutting them off or forgetting to signal before you change lanes, these drivers go into full-on rages with you as their target.
If you are injured in an accident due to road rage you are entitled to seek compensation for your medical bills and damages.