Road Rage in Oakley Explained
I’m Ed Smith, an Oakley Personal Injury Lawyer. Oakley is a peaceful city that gives off a small-town country feel, but local commuters who frequently hop on State Route 160 or State Route 4 are increasingly vulnerable to traffic accidents. More than 90% of traffic accidents are caused by some form of human error, including road rage. Most people experience at least some level of road rage in their lifetime, and therefore it may feel easy to justify your bad temper. However, the results of accidents can be devastating, from experiencing financial strains while attempting to pay off costly medical bills to suffering permanent physical damage that may lead to surgical amputation or brain death.
Defining Road Rage
Road rage is commonly described as violent or aggressive behavior coming from a driver’s out of control anger aimed at another motorist and their actions. Let’s put this definition into action with some examples of road rage:
- Intentionally hitting someone’s car with your own
- Running someone off the road
- Cutting other people off
- Tailgating to intimidate the driver in front of you
- Brake checking the car behind you
- Repeatedly honking the horn of your car
- Speedy and highly-dangerous passing maneuvers
- Verbally cursing or using physical displays of the middle finger (“flipping the bird”)
Who Displays Road Rage The Most
Road rage is seen across genders, age groups, and countries. While everyone can experience road rage, the most well-known demographic tends to be male drivers in younger age groups. Additionally, people with certain psychological disorders are more prone to acting out while driving. If you fall into either of these categories (or both), you should put extra effort into recognizing your actions and emotions on the road. With that being said, it is still important to emphasize that road rage can happen to anyone.
How to Prevent the Likelihood of Experiencing Road Rage
Before you get out onto the road, there are simple methods to ensure that you drive with a calm and collected temper. Below are some examples of the preventive measures that can be taken:
- Put on some of your favorite music that has a soothing, calming effect
- Remind yourself that the road is meant to be shared, and most importantly, nobody’s perfect
- Always keep a reasonable distance between your vehicle and the one in front of you. This can be done by using the “one car distance” rule or the 3-second rule.
- Avoid making obscene gestures or extended eye contact with the drivers around you. This can make the conflict even worse, and you never know who you’re really dealing with in passerby cars.
More by Oakley Personal Injury Lawyer, Ed Smith:
Oakley Personal Injury Lawyer
I’m Ed Smith, an Oakley Personal Injury Lawyer. If either you or a loved one has been injured by a driver with road rage, you are encouraged to call me now at (925) 428-5220 or (800) 404-5400 for free, friendly legal advice.
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All interested users are welcome to peruse my verdicts and settlements page, where you can find out what type of outcomes I have won for my clients in the past.
I a member of the Million Dollar Advocates.
Photo Credit: Author Gabriel Matula – Unsplash.
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