MARIETTA, Georgia. We’ve all been there. A driver cuts you off on the highway, or the car in front of you takes several extra seconds to move when the light turns green, or someone honks at you for no good reason and you find yourself getting angry. Really angry. What you do next can have life or death consequences. According to the Insurance Information Institute, aggressive driving is believed to be responsible for 56 percent of all fatal accidents that took place between 2003 and 2007. While it is difficult to identify exactly when aggressive driving or road rage played a role in an accident, behaviors linked to road rage include speeding, tailgating, improper lane changing, illegal driving on the shoulder of the road, failing to yield the right of way, running red lights or stop signs, making improper turns, or racing too fast for conditions.
Why is it that people who can be perfectly calm in the office or with their families find themselves engaging in incredibly dangerous behaviors while driving? A neuroscientist writing for the Independent sought to find out why. He found that the human brain system is wired to work in two important ways. There’s conscious thought, which involves planning and thinking and reasoning, and then there’s an unconscious system that doesn’t involve thinking or reasoning or planning. The unconscious system governs our drives, like drinking, eating, and aggression. When we feel threatened, the automatic system of our brain that triggers violence or fighting can be triggered. Modern life tends to be fairly safe. Driving is probably one of the few situations where we actively put our lives on the line on a daily basis. When we feel threatened (like when a driver cuts us off), when we feel that we’ve been cheated (like when drivers break the rules of the road), or when we feel like our space has been violated (like when drivers honk at us), the automatic aggression circuits in our brain can be triggered.
Fortunately, the brain has important systems in place that allow us to put the brakes on these automatic responses. We are not entirely powerless to these primal impulses. We have the ability to stop ourselves from reacting. How do we stop road rage or aggressive driving before it starts?
One simple step can make all the difference in the world. Before you act, stop, take a deep breath, and remind yourself that another person’s actions behind the wheel are not about you. Other people honk, speed, run lights, and cut other drivers off because they are rushed, or distracted, or aren’t paying attention. One thing that can work can be to imagine that the driver who just cut you off is rushing to the hospital to see a dying relative. You never know. Depersonalizing bad behavior while driving can help you get a better perspective and prevent you from taking actions that could lead to accidents or harm.
Other drivers also have a responsibility to avoid aggressive driving. If you or a loved one was hurt due to the aggressive or reckless driving of another person, you may be entitled to seek damages for your medical bills, lost wages, and pain and suffering. Contact the personal injury lawyers at Amanda Hall Injury Law in Marietta, Georgia today. You may only have a limited amount of time to seek justice. We may be able to help you get the recovery you may deserve for an accident that occurred due to aggressive driving.
Amanda Hall Injury Law
145 Towne Lake Pkwy, Ste 200
Woodstock Ga 30188
678-445-7423
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