Dealing with an Angry Driver

Say what you will about drunk drivers, but angry drivers can be just as dangerous. They're out there every day and, in many cases, their tempers get the best of them, and they end up doing harmful things on the road. These drivers can also be big risks if they happen to cause a wreck. If you're dealing with someone who's a complete hothead, you never know how they are going to behave in the event that they end up causing an accident. Here are some ways to deal with these drivers that will keep you out of trouble.

On the Road

When people get angry, they get a surge of adrenaline. The angrier they get, the more adrenaline they get. This means that, when someone is behaving aggressively toward you on the highway, such as accelerating to cut you off from making your exit, swearing at you through the windshield or tailgating you, doing anything to agitate them is only going to make the situation worse. Yes, they may deserve to be inconvenienced for acting the way they are but, unfortunately, you're only putting yourself and the other people on the highway at risk by inconveniencing them. Let them get by, make their exit or do whatever it is they want to do.

After a Wreck

There are cases where these drivers can become genuinely dangerous after they end up causing an accident, which they quite frequently do. They may get in your face, start pointing their finger at you, threaten physical violence or take other actions that identify them as somebody who is essentially a ticking time bomb. One thing you never want to do is to try to detain them. If they are going to do a hit-and-run, let the police get them for it; it's the police's job to do that, not yours. If they are being very threatening, get on the phone with 911 and give the operator a description of the person and their license plate. There may be situations where even this doesn't calm them down but, at least, they will know that they will be accountable for anything else they decide to do.
Angry drivers are oftentimes negligent drivers. A Dallas car accident attorney may be able to help you file a claim against them in court. Contact a auto wreck lawyer if one of these drivers has caused you injury or property damage.