when confronted by aggressive driverswhen confronted by aggressive drivers

Opinion surveys show motorists rate aggressive driving as a top threat to highway safety, yet many do not see their own behavior as aggressive. Theres never been a better time than right now to speak to a personal injury attorneyFREE of charge. 2525 McKinnon Street #550 Dallas, Texas 75201. Put aside your pride. Avoid eye contact. Before worrying about other drivers, remember to keep your own behavior in check. Not move out of their path of travel. It will hold you in your seat behind the wheel in case you need to make an abrupt driving maneuver . Youre at a disadvantage in so many ways, says Fort Worth Police officer Jason Young, who is also a training coordinator for the Law Enforcement Bicycle Association. The Texas Department of Transportation recommends that you do not make eye contact with the aggressive driver. Visit www.arrivealivede.com/Slow-Down for more information. Our Driving Concern A program of the National Safety Council in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation, Tip Sheet: When Confronted by Aggressive Drivers. If you ride with a POV camera, that footage can be helpful, but police and courts wont always consider it as evidence. Whatever you do, do not try to challenge them by speeding up to them. Aggressive driving (road rage) is on the rise and has attributed to a variety of motor vehicle involved incidents including accidents and assaults. Most state highway patrols and police departments have non-emergency phone contacts or web forms to report aggressive drivers. Controlling Speed 2.7. Never engage the driver. While he was an insurance attorney, he learned from behind the scenes how insurance companies work and how they decide how much to pay injured people. Over the last three years in Delaware (2015 2017), 116 people were killed in crashes related to aggressive driving behaviors. Gestures. Frustration levels are high, and level of concern for fellow motorists is low. When you are involved in an automobile accident in the state of Texas, there are crucial measures that you should take to ensure that everyone involved is safe, comply with the laws of [], It goes without saying that hundreds of thousands of Texans are injured each year in auto accidents and other motor vehicle mishaps. Call 9-1-1 as soon as you can safely do sobut the sooner the better. When another driver acts aggressively, it can be tempting to respond in kind, revving your engine, yelling out the window, or otherwise displaying your frustration. 2178 Airport Road Avoid the challenges or confrontations of an aggressive driver and support law enforcement's efforts to rid the streets and highways of this menace. Put your pride in the back seat. They may be fined between $100 and $300 dollars, or face 10 to 30 days in jail. What Day of the Year Has the Most Car Accidents? Barre, VT 05641 They run stop signs and red lights, speed, tailgate, weave in and out of traffic, pass on the right, make improper and unsafe lane changes, make hand and facial gestures, scream, honk, and flash their lights. Most speed related injury crashes occur during rush hour (5 a.m. to 8 a.m. and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.). Life's too short to drive too fast. An already irate driver grew angrier. They may be fined between $100 and $300 dollars, or face 10 to 30 days in jail. Fortunately, there are many steps that you can take in avoiding a confrontation with an aggressive driver. Try to race the driver. Robson said a witness called Boulder police, who would arrest the driver who would later go on to plead guilty to felony menacing and a misdemeanor count of conspiracy to commit a prohibited use of a weapon, receiving two years probation, but no jail time. Whether a driver is packing or just pissed, it doesnt really matter. Ignore the driver's gestures. Driving in Very Hot Weather 2.15. Aggressive driving is the act of operating a motor vehicle in a selfish, bold, or pushy manner, without regard for the rights or safety of others. Department of Safety and Homeland Security (DSHS), 1202 Aggressive Drivers (Formerly Reg. You have questions, now get the answers call us today at 858-551-2090. Reading, eating, drinking, or talking on the phone, can be a major cause of roadway crashes. Honking the car horn excessively and continuously. In fact, over 66% of traffic fatalities in California are attributed to aggressive driving behaviors. SENIOR PERSONAL INJURY ATTORNEY & FIRM FOUNDER, Michael Pines is a former insurance company attorney who graduated from the University of California Hastings College of the Law in 1987. Put your pride aside. It will hold you in your seat and behind the wheel in case you need to make an abrupt driving maneuver and it will protect you in a crash. Tune the radio to your favorite relaxing music. Put your bike between yourself and the driver, and never get violent against a person or their vehicle even if you feel threatened, because legally that can make you the aggressor. Try to get out of their way. Short answer: You probably cant. My settlement was outstanding. Another 10,337 have been injured. Which of the following are excuses used by people who committed murder as a result of road rage? Robson said hed had some success in the past talking to careless drivers, and when he saw the parked truck and its driver pulled off the road moments after his close call, he decided to stop. Aggressive driving: How to prevent, respond to it. 2178 Airport Road Taking out your frustrations on your fellow If you can safely do so, describe the make and model of the car and provide the license plate number to the police. Explanation. On June 30th, 1999 the General Assembly passed the state's first aggressive driving law. Vermont Agency of Transportation Seeing 2.5. Since 1992, our personal injury attorneys at the Pines Salomon Injury Lawyers, APC. If you have a "Cell" phone, and can do it safely, you can report aggressive or impaired drivers to the police by calling # 77. Report the driver. I have never heard of a situation where a cyclists tone helped reverse things, she said. Do not challenge aggressive drivers by speeding up or attempting to hold your own in your lane. Policies First and foremost, make every attempt to get out of their way. Put your pride in the back seat. This may prevent an accident farther on down the road that may not involve you. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. How do you define each term? In fact, over 66% of traffic fatalities in California are attributed to aggressive driving behaviors. Want to be cured of that habit? Friday has the highest number of speed related injury crashes. Road rage defined as violent or uncontrolled anger in response to driving-related behavior is a real risk that is a factor in many fatal car crashes. We can help carry out thorough investigations to determine the exact nature of the case so that you have a better chance at appropriate compensation and justice. On top of fines, some states may even impose jail time in certain aggressive drivingsituations. This category lists all Tailgate Talks on the topic of aggressive driving. It takes more than the length of a football field to stop when you are traveling 60 miles per hour. Put your pride in the back seat. Garmin Varias radar tail light alerts you to approaching traffic. If an aggressive driver is involved in a crash farther down the road, stop a safe distance from the crash scene, wait for the police to arrive, and report the driving behavior that you witnessed. Stay in the driver's lane. Remember, flashing red lights should be treated as a stop sign. Make eye contact to better communicate with them. Do not challenge them by speeding up or attempting to hold-your-own in your travel lane. Robsons suggestion? Just be late. Aggressive driving occurs when a driver becomes emotional and drives erratically and angrily. Note: The information that was utilized in this post was gathered from the use of secondary sources. Do not let them provoke you with their . Make eye contact with the driver. Explanation. If an aggressive driver is involved in a crash further down the road, stop a safe distance from the crash scene, wait for the police to arrive, and report the driving behavior that you witnessed. Ignore gestures and refuse to react to them. How Many Deaths Are Caused By Distracted Driving? Put your pride in the back seat. Please complete this form to request a safety training, meeting or presentation. Unfortunately, this kind of behavior removes your attention from the road, amplifies the problem, and may lead to an accident or an injury. Change Text Size Aggressive Driving Aggressive driving is extremely common among U.S. drivers. Do not make eye contact with the driver, as doing so could provoke them. Make gestures at the driver. Do not challenge them by speeding up or attempting to hold-your-own in your travel lane. You are 100% on the client's side. 2.1. This 100-lumen tail light includes an alarm, home-safe mode, and 7 hour battery. Wear your seat belt. Public transportation can give you some much-needed relief from life behind the wheel. But in a car, they can be deadly especially if you're not wearing a seat belt. Over a recent seven-year period, more than 200 murders and 12,600 injuries were attributed to road rage, .css-qlm9kn{-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;text-decoration-thickness:0.0625rem;text-decoration-color:inherit;text-underline-offset:0.25rem;color:#067EA7;-webkit-transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;transition:all 0.3s ease-in-out;background-image:linear-gradient( to bottom, #7fdbfa, #7fdbfa);-webkit-background-position:0 100%;background-position:0 100%;background-repeat:repeat-x;-webkit-background-size:0 0;background-size:0 0;padding-bottom:0.05rem;padding-top:0.05rem;}.css-qlm9kn:hover{color:#045976;text-decoration-color:border-link-body-hover;-webkit-background-size:.625rem 3.125rem;background-size:.625rem 3.125rem;}per AAA statistics. Tailgate? Their presence might help deter the driver from getting violent, but theyre also valuable if law enforcement gets involved. If confronted by an aggressive driver, the most important thing to do is try to get out of their way. They drive at speeds far in excess of the norm which causes them to: follow too closely, change lanes frequently and abruptly without notice (signals), pass on shoulder or unpaved portions of the roadway, and leer at and/or threaten - verbally or through gestures - motorists who are thoughtless enough to be in front of them. This is a major cause of crashes that can result in serious deaths or injuries. Do not risk provoking the other driver by making eye contact. In such situations, its easy to let your emotions take over, but it's important for you to try and control the situation. You have no idea whats going on in that drivers head. But how do we make that happen? Music can calm your nerves and help you enjoy time in the car. If your license expired between 3/1/2020 - 8/31/2021 & you renewed online by self-certifying your vision, but have not submitted a vision test to DMV, your license is at risk of imminent suspension. Aggressive driving behaviors can include: Speeding Drag racing on public streets Frequent and unnecessary lane changes Tailgating Running , How to Recognize Aggressive Driving Read More , Listen to this conversation between Dave and his passenger. Express frustration when driving? ONE. These cookies do not store any personal information. Put your pride in the back seat. But heres some expert advice on what to do when confronted by an angry driver and how we might stop the problem in the future. Robson suggests a lack of empathy and easy access to firearms are two of the root causes of road-rage incidents between drivers and cyclists. The more details, the better. Gear-obsessed editors choose every product we review. If you find any information that is false, we will remove or correct the post immediately after it is brought to our attention. Cycliqs combo includes a 600-lumen front light and 1080 HP camera. When Confronted by an Aggressive Driver on the California Highway, Driver Injured in Car Accident - $100,000 Policy Limit, Rear-end Collision Results in Neck Injuries - $250,000. We take car accident cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning that you wont pay a single cent unless we collect for you. Disclaimer: As a valued member of the Dallas community, Rasansky Law Firms goal is to improve the safety of all residents in the great state of Texas. Avoid making eye contact with the driver and do not let yourself be provoked by gestures. If the person is exiting the vehicle (to confront you), ride away. If youre followed, ensure that you go to a public place with lots of people and call the police immediately. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But it might legally make you the instigator and can certainly escalate an already-volatile situation. Do not provoke the driver by making eye contact, trying to race, or refusing to move out of your traffic lane. What to do when confronted by aggressive drivers: A skilled accident attorney can help you to share your side of the story. If confronted by an aggressive driver, you should: Answers Keep your vehicle in front of them. This may escalate their emotions and put you at even greater risk. Questions or Comments? Provide police dispatchers with a location as well as a vehicle description (color, make, model, size, number of doors), direction of travel, and a license plate number if possible. So what should cyclists do in a similar situation? Wear your seat belt. Vermont law enforcement officers use a combination of speed enforcement strategies to support established speed limits, manage speed, reduce fatalities and injuries, and help promote seat belt use. They must also complete a behavior modification class or attitudinal driving course. If all else fails, just be late. Too much to do. Road rage is a violent criminal offense. Try mapping out an alternate route. No. Identify alternate routes. 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