Drivers sometimes let themselves get drawn into what amounts to competition with other drivers. This is usually the result of frustration. Here are some common situations and how to avoid them.
Racing
This occurs when you want to get ahead of a driver and they keep speeding up and refusing to let you. This is pure ego. If the person doing this has a faster and more powerful car than you—and they usually will—you cannot win. It’s best to let them go. Watch for this when:
- Passing on two-lane highways
- Trying to switch lanes on a multi-lane highway
- Merging on freeways
In any of these situations, the best thing to do is to let the person causing the problem get by. It won’t slow you down any to let them by and it might just save you a costly accident.
Arguing/Gesturing
Everyone knows what this means. Someone cuts in front of you or you cause a problem for someone else and, next thing you know, you and the other driver are having quite a conversation without exchanging a word. Don’t do this. You never know who’s in that other car and you’re only escalating the situation.
Flashing Brights
Sometimes, if someone’s coming at you with bright headlights, it’s tempting to do this. The problem is that they may actually have their dims on and just happen to have high-performance headlights or that they may just have a high vehicle and this is what’s causing the light to hit you in the eyes, making it seem brighter. Flashing your brights may blind the other driver and cause a wreck. Look at the line at the right of the lane rather than at their headlights. That usually helps and you won’t end up blinding them.
Just about any type of competition with other drivers is going to run you afoul of the law. It’s best to stay out of these situations. Getting angry and trying to outrun another driver puts everyone else on the road at risk. This might wind up with you being in court being sued for negligence because of having harmed someone else due to driving in an unsafe manner.
If someone caused you injury because of driving recklessly, contact an accident lawyer in Dallas. They can help you determine if you have a case. Getting personal injury information from them is easy and the first consultation is usually free.
