Safer ways to deal with aggressive drivers can prevent accidents

Especially when the actions of a forceful motorist put our lives or our families lives in peril, the tempatiion is to react negatively to the other driver. Instead, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, we should take more evasive actions to protect ourselves. They suggest:

1. Keep your seat belt fastened at all times to prevent bodily injury in a crash, and to keep you safely in place if you need to drive defensively
2. Avoid any kind of interaction with the other driver, including making eye contact, returning comments and gestures, or anything else that will distract you from your driving
3. Move safely out of the way of the unsafe driver if you can. Though it may seem like you’re backing down and “letting them win”, you triumph more by taking yourself out of the situation
4. Report aggressive drivers to the proper traffic authorities. If you have a cell phone that you can safely use, and it is permitted in the state in which you are driving, you can call 911, or dial #77 in many areas. Whenever possible, be as descriptive about the driver, car and location of the indicent as you can.
5. If you witness an accident caused by such a motorist, pull over at a safe distance from the crash and offer your input to the authorities when they arrive.

Aggressive drivers aren’t just an annoyance, they’re a safety hazard to you and others who are on the road. If you encounter one, remember that your most assertive action should be to keep yourself and your passengers out of harm’s way. That includes having an active emergency roadside assistance plan for immediate help in case their driving habits affect you adversely.