Attorney David J. King

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What causes road rage?

On Behalf of | Jan 13, 2022 | Car Accidents

Anyone in charge of a vehicle has the potential to injure or kill others. Therefore it is crucial that people remain calm when driving. Yet many drivers do not.

Imagine you are driving along, minding your own business, then a driver pulls alongside you or cuts in front of you and slams on the brakes. They might be shouting or making rude hand gestures. What have you done to cause them to behave like this?

You cannot make another person angry

The answer is nothing. You cannot control someone else’s emotions. Even if you forgot to indicate or exhibited another less than ideal driving behavior, another driver’s anger is nothing to do with you. Here is where the actual cause may lie:

  • Stress: This can come from all sorts of situations. For example, being late for work, having debt problems, arguing with their partner, taking on too much at once, or fearing they may lose their job. Yet, many people experience these same problems without reacting so poorly.
  • Tiredness: Many people get irritable when they lack sleep. Young babies, the need to work overtime, insomnia and other things can all lead to insufficient sleep.
  • Drink and drugs: Think about the number of drunk or drugged people that get in fights. Both can put people on edge and exaggerate aggression.

Taking the wheel of a vehicle is always a choice. You may understand that a driver was tired or frustrated by external events. That does not excuse them for failing to control their emotions and crashing into you. Understanding how to hold a raging driver responsible will be crucial to ensure you do not pay for their temper. 

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