You’re driving down the road and suddenly another car cuts you off. You hit the brakes, but it’s too late – you’ve already been involved in a car accident or a near miss. If this has happened to you, you know how frustrating and dangerous it can be. Bad drivers are a part of life, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with them. Here are some tips and tactics for coping with bad drivers and staying safe on the roads.
More than 80% of drivers in the United States admit to having road rage or driving in an aggressive way at least once a year. Around a third of people admit to honking their car horn, and making rude gestures to other drivers. And the same amount of people again regularly run a red light. A fifth of people say they have cut in front of another vehicle. And almost half say they drive 15 mph or more over the speed limit on the highway.
We all know that bad drivers are everywhere. If you’ve already been in an accident because of someone’s dangerous driving, you’ll need to make sure you try to get justice by hiring a lawyer. Look up car accident attorney queens, or something similar, to get the help you need.
But how should you handle situations when there are bad drivers on the road? Here are some tips and tactics to help keep you safe and away from harm.
Keep Your Cool
This can be hard when someone cuts you off or nearly causes an accident, but it’s important to try to stay calm. Losing your temper can make you more likely to make a mistake yourself. Do whatever you need to do to calm down. Take some long, deep breaths. Listen to music. Talk to the passenger in your car about something insignificant. Just don’t get angry.
Don’t Take Risks
If someone is driving dangerously, don’t try to outdrive them or match their behavior. This will only make the situation worse and could lead to an accident. Just stay calm and drive safely. If you think you might be tempted to take risks, pull over if it’s safe to do so. Wait until the other driver is out of sight before continuing your journey. Or take a different route so you don’t have to risk getting too annoyed and angry by them.
Report Bad Drivers
This is really important. Even if you manage to avoid harm from a dangerous driver on the road, someone else might not be so lucky. If you witness someone driving dangerously, report their license plate number to the police. This could help to keep other drivers safe in the future. Your report may even be enough to take a dangerous driver off the road for a while. People tend to keep on driving dangerously if they don’t see any consequences to their actions.
Be Vigilant
Stay aware of what’s going on around you at all times. This means not being distracted by your phone, eating, or anything else. Pay attention to the other drivers and be prepared to react if necessary. Always look at the bigger picture and anticipate the things other drivers might do wrong. You can often tell from their road positioning if they’re planning on making a dangerous move. And you can see from their driving if they seem to be distracted, for example if the car ahead of you is not traveling in a straight line. This will help you stay safe on the road and avoid getting into an accident.
Give Others Plenty of Space
It can be tempting to get too close to the car in front of you, especially if they’re driving slowly. But this is a bad idea. You should always give the car in front of you plenty of space, even if they’re driving slowly. This way, you’ll have more time to react if they make a sudden stop. And you’ll be less likely to hit them if they do have an accident. Even if a driver isn’t driving badly, many of us forget about stopping distances and other basics of good driving as time goes on. Giving others space is almost always a good idea.
Take a Driving Refresher Course
This might seem counterintuitive when other drivers are behaving badly! But taking a driving refresher course can also help you practice what to do in potentially dangerous situations, with the guidance of an experienced instructor. It will also remind you of some of the driving basics that will help to keep you more safe – things like how often to check your mirrors, and how braking distances change with different weather conditions.
Stay Safe
Bad drivers are a part of life, but that doesn’t mean you have to put up with them. By following these tips and tactics, you can stay safe on the road and avoid getting into an accident. And if we all work together to report bad drivers and drive as safely as we can, we can make the roads a safer place for everyone. So do everything that is within your power to make the roads as safe as possible!