If you have experienced anger and frustration while navigating Maryland roadways, you are not alone. More than 80% of drivers in the state and throughout the country admit to feeling rage behind the wheel at least once within the last 12 months. It is when this anger leads to dangerous driving behaviors that issues arise.
Hazardous driving behaviors stemming from road rage lead to deadly car accidents every year. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 56% of fatal motor vehicle accidents involved at least one form of enraged driving. It is important to know how to identify these behaviors in order to minimize your risk of becoming a victim of a car accident.
What are the signs?
There are certain signs that will help identify an aggressive driver, according to the Insurance Information Institute. These include the following:
- Cutting off other motorists or blocking them from changing lanes
- Following too close or tailgating
- Racing other vehicles or speeding
- Swerving in and out of lanes and passing on the shoulder of the road
- Running through traffic signs and lights
- Failing to yield to other drivers’ right of way
Drivers with road rage disobey standard traffic laws, putting others’ lives in danger. In some cases, angry motorists will become so enraged that they get out of their vehicles and physically attack other drivers. They may intentionally crash into other vehicles out of anger and frustration.
What should you do?
While your first instinct may be to yell back, block drivers from getting in front of you or race them down the interstate, doing so may only make matters worse. Rather than participate in dangerous driving behaviors, it is best to make law enforcement aware of the matter. Reporting reckless drivers just may prevent a horrible and devastating accident.