People often lump road rage and aggressive driving together. However, this is inaccurate. Aggressive driving may lead to road rage, but they are not the same thing.
An example of aggressive driving is tailgating or speeding despite heavy traffic. Drivers who engage in these behaviors are often angry and if their anger continues to escalate, they may start cursing at other drivers, throwing things or even intentionally ramming into other cars. Cursing, throwing things or ramming into other cars are all examples of road rage.
If you are involved in this type of accident, you need to be cautious when dealing with the other driver. You do not want to do anything that might make this person angrier and put you in danger. Below, our experienced auto accident attorneys in Phoenix discuss what to do after a road rage accident to help preserve your claim and stay safe.
The statistics below should come as no surprise to Arizona drivers, as studies have shown Arizona has some of the worst drivers in the nation. (A study by SmartAsset found Arizona was one of 10 states with the worst drivers.)
The AAA Foundation conducts an annual survey to determine the percentages of drivers who engage in aggressive behaviors. The 2019 survey revealed the following:
Drivers who engage in these behaviors could become increasingly angry and resort to road rage.
It is often a good idea to stay in your car after an accident occurs, particularly if there is a lot of traffic. If you get out, you could be putting yourself in harm’s way. This is particularly true if the other driver is angry and having a fit of road rage.
If you see the other driver yelling at you, or if he or she gets out of his or her car, lock your doors. Drivers who are experiencing road rage may seek out a confrontation and potentially try to open your door.
Your goal when dealing with a driver who is in a fit of road rage is to try to deescalate. Here are some more tips for staying safe:
There are steps you can take to help preserve your claim for compensation after a road rage accident:
At Phillips Law Group, we know car crash victims often have many questions about what to do next. We are here to help ”“ over more than 28 years serving Arizona injury victims, we have recovered hundreds of millions in compensation.
There is no risk because there are no upfront fees for our services. We do not get paid for helping crash victims unless we recover compensation on their behalf.
Need assistance? Give us a call today to learn more. Call 1-800-706-3000 .