Controlling Road Rage

Controlling Road Rage

Aggressive driving can lead to accidents and compromised coverage. Road rage incidents are not only dangerous but are also exempted from coverage by many auto insurance policies. Understand what the risks are and take precautionary measures to avoid being a victim or a cause of aggressive driving accidents.

Road Range and Auto Insurance

Crowded highways and traffic backups at times cause drivers to lose control and become extremely aggressive. Having road rage can be a real problem and could lead to serious accidents, injuries, or even incidents of violence on the road.

It is important to realize that road rage is listed as an “exception” in many auto insurance policies. This is because and damage or liability stemming from aggressive driving isn’t considered an accident but rather as having been caused by risk behavior.

Rather than risk paying the consequences of road rage it is best to avoid a dangerous and costly aggressive driving incident in the first place. You can risk your own car in certain instances along with not having the auto insurance claim paid for.

What to Do If You Encounter an Aggressive Driver on The Road:

  • Stay as far away as possible
    • Slow down or change lanes if need to be, let the driver pass you, and give yourself room at intersections to drive further away
  • Record a description of the car and note the license plate number
    • This information will be helpful for reporting him or her to the police for the sake of everyone’s safety
  • Do not engage with or challenge the offender in any way
    • Ignore the driver’s rudeness and don’t give in to the temptation to react in kind or you might escalate the risky behavior.
  • Put your safety first
    • If an aggressive driver starts to follow you, keep your doors locks, head to the nearest police station. Never stop and confront an aggressive driver.

What to Do When You Have a Short Fuse Yourself:

  • Leave plenty of time to get where you need to go
    • When you are in a hurry, your patience is short and you are much more likely to become more aggravated.
  • Remember other drivers are not annoying you on purpose
    • People make mistakes or they might be driving more slowly for a reason. They might be lost, or their sight might be impaired from sun glare.
  • Don’t use any hand gestures to aggravate anyone else
    • Even if you are bothered by something happening on the road you do not want to involve other people
  • Do not tailgate slow drivers
    • Hanging another car’s back bumper is dangerous. If the car in front of you has to stop short and you rear-end them, the accident would be your fault and your insurance would not be in your favor.
  • Do not honk your horn insistently
    • Leaning on your horn is a bad practice. While it might make you feel better to express your frustration in a traffic jam, it won’t make anyone go any faster, it is bothersome to other drivers and passengers and it increases everyone’s stress level. This can also lead to more aggressive behavior.
  • Never stop to confront another driver
    • It could lead to a dangerous situation for all concerned
  • Relax before entering and while you’re driving your car
    • Taking a few deep breathes before driving and if you feel the frustration coming can be a good idea to prevent any road rage. It is important to remember not to get in your car if you are not In the right state of mind to begin with because you are putting not only yourself and others at risk.

Contact Sava Insurance Group with further questions about road rage and auto insurance coverages.

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