Why Road Rage Can Lead To A New Haven Auto Accident
July 2, 2024You may have been in a situation before where you are cut off by the driver in front of you and you are angry and want to yell and honk your horn. This is called road rage. There are certainly levels of road rage. Some of us get angry and curse under our breath and move on, while others take it to the extreme and follow the person who made them angry, try to get their attention and then yell and scream at them until we are blue in the face. Whatever your version of road rage may be, you need to stop it, because it could very easily lead to you getting into a New Haven auto accident and causing you long-term harm over a short-term problem.
There is no question that there are stressful situations everyday when you are driving throughout the city and state. There are people who will not follow the rules of the road. There are people who will make a bad decision, putting you or your passengers at risk. All of these situations can enrage you and get you to the point where you are more concerned about getting back at the person who put you in that situation then you are about driving safely and avoiding any incidents. When this happens you are not getting the “best” of the person who cut you off or made a bad driving decision, you are actually making the situation worse and this puts you at greater risk.
Some of the signs of road rage include things like tailgating, yelling at the vehicles in front of or around you, not obeying traffic laws, making angry gestures and, in extreme cases, physical violence. When you are driving if you see anyone engaging in these behaviors you will want to avoid them as best you can. If you believe you are engaging in these behaviors yourself you should immediately pull over to the side of the road safely and then take some deep breaths so you can avoid overheating and doing something that could put you at even greater risk. Not only could you get into an accident as the result of your behaviors you could also put yourself at risk of getting arrested for your road rage.
Why is road rage so dangerous? After all, you’re just blowing off some steam right? Road rage cannot only put you in a bad mood and raise your stress levels, but it actually has physical manifestations that can put you at a greater risk. Some of the physical manifestations of road rage include the following;
1.) A narrow focus. When road rage takes over and you are focused on showing the person you are mad at your anger and frustration over their actions you start to experience tunnel vision. Tunnel vision is one of the deadliest things you can do behind the wheel of a vehicle. Not only will it take your attention away from the road in front of you, but it will also cause you to ignore hazards that might be easily avoided because you are so focused on getting in front of the person you are angry with and you are not paying attention to anyone else or any other hazard that is on the road. Your vision is impaired by this and also your actions as you may forget to use turn signals and miss visual cues that could cause you to get into an accident with someone you’re not even focused on.
2.) Aggressive driving. As its name suggests, road rage is often associated with aggressive driving. When you experience anger while you’re driving it often manifests itself into dangerous behaviors and aggressiveness that can cause you to drive recklessly. When you’re angry you are often driving in a way that you otherwise wouldn’t think of driving like speeding recklessly, tailgating other vehicles, cutting off drivers who are in your way of getting to the person you are mad at and swerving erratically. These behaviors under any normal circumstance can be quite dangerous and lead to serious issues. When you’re driving like this while you’re angry these behaviors can turn deadly quite quick.
3.) Delayed reaction times. Your reaction time when you’re driving can be so important to keeping you safe and free from an accident. If you are alert and react in a normal fashion you will be much more inclined to take immediate action when a hazard presents itself. However, if your reaction time is slowed by something you could be putting yourself and your passengers at risk. When you are angry and experiencing road rage your reaction time will be slowed and this can put you in a precarious situation. You may be so angry that you don’t even realize that your reaction time has been slowed and this can put you at risk of getting into an accident. Unexpected situations on the road happen with a high frequency and you need to be ready for them, if you’re not you could be putting yourself at a great risk.
There is already a lot of uncertainty when you’re driving that could lead to a New Haven auto accident under normal circumstances. If you add road rage to the circumstances you may be putting yourself at a greater risk of getting injured, injuring someone else or even death. While not all situations can be avoided, keeping your cool while driving is one of the best ways you can go about preventing these types of accidents from happening. When a situation arises that you feel yourself getting angry about, take the time to pull the car over safely and cool down before you continue on your way. This type of behavior can put you in a situation that may be dangerous and if you don’t take the proper steps to minimize your risks when it happens you could wind up being injured or dead.
Regardless of the circumstances, accidents do happen. We are here to help with whatever the situation is. If you’ve been injured as the result of a road rage incident you may need to speak with an attorney who has experience with this type of situation. Contact our office and one of our experienced attorneys will review your situation and work with you to protect your long-term interests.