Georgia drivers may become angry at others for stealing a parking space or cutting them off on the highway, but they will want to be careful in expressing this anger because road rage can be contagious. Below are a few tips for managing road rage both in one’s self and in others.
First of all, drivers should know what strategies keep them calm. They differ with every driver and can include listening to classical music and thinking reasonable thoughts about how anger will not help anyone get home sooner. Playing music is proven to relieve stress. Also, it is best to not grip the steering wheel, as this can constrict blood flow and cause headaches.
Above all, drivers should not honk the horn, flash the high beams or make inflammatory hand gestures against the offending party. Neither should drivers make eye contact with the other, as that can be taken as a challenge to the other’s sense of superiority.
When impatient drivers on multi-lane highways get up close to and honk their horn or flash their headlights, it’s best to exit the lane (without slowing down or speeding up, as this could block a passing lane). In traffic jams, drivers should maintain a few extra feet of “breathing room” so that if an impatient driver approaches too close, they can make a quick escape.
Those who wish to file a personal injury claim after a car accident might seek legal counsel because the amount they are eligible for will depend on several factors. One is the degree to which the victims themselves are to blame for a crash. Another is recklessness. Those who are injured through road rage may request punitive damages; this is meant not to cover legitimate losses but to punish the other driver for recklessness. It may be wise to leave negotiations to a lawyer.
