Any Texan knows that the summertime can bring sweltering heat! During the summer months, you may notice that some of your fellow motorists seem agitated, impatient, or downright angry behind the wheel. They may even begin to exhibit signs of road rage, which may be in part due to the increased heat.
Telltale Signs of Road Rage
Aggressive driving, also known as “road rage,” is a form of negative and dangerous driving that occurs for various reasons, such as when a driver is impatient, stressed out, irritated, or agitated. According to psychologists, hot and humid weather can be associated with aggression, violence, fatigue, and a lower general mood.
This is one reason why aggressive driving and road rage increases during the summer months. Other factors that can increase summertime road rage include congested roads, children out of school, more pedestrians and bicycle riders out and about, and more construction projects underway.
It’s always important to remain aware of the telltale signs of road rage. Steer clear of motorists exhibiting these dangerous behaviors:
- Yelling
- Speeding
- Offensive gesturing
- Running red lights and stop signs
- Driving erratically
- Tailgating
Cooling Your Traffic Temper
While even the most level-headed drivers can become irritated at times, it’s important to take the right steps to keep your cool behind the wheel, especially during the summer months.
The first piece of advice we can give you is to try to reduce the amount of time you spend on busy highways during periods of extreme heat. When facing rush hour traffic on really hot days, try to use back roads instead of crowded highways. Additionally, you can avoid road rage by:
- Keeping yourself hydrated
- Lowering your body temperature
- Meditating by deep breathing
- Keeping snacks in the car
- Increasing airflow by using your AC or rolling the windows down
- Ignoring other raging drivers
Injured in a Road Rage-Related Crash?
With that said, putting others at risk by participating in road rage is never acceptable. If you’re injured in a car accident that was the result of road rage behaviors or aggressive driving, our legal team is here to hear your story and determine what legal options you may have in pursuing a personal injury claim against the negligent driver.
Let us work on your behalf to ensure you receive the justice and compensation that you deserve. Contact Law Offices Of Vic Feazell, P.C. at (254) 938-6885 to get started with a free consultation. We are based in Waco and help those across Austin and the entire state of Texas.