This is an account of how road rage can impact innocent people. In this case the injuries were not life threatening. But it did cause pain and suffering for an innocent bystander. The following is account of that situation.
We were just leaving the hospital when we were dispatched to an motor vehicle crash. The dispatcher stated that two cars were involved and it was unknown how many injuries. 
On our arrival we found one auto had been struck in the rear. It had significant rear end damage. There was one person claiming injury. She had neck and head pain. The seat that she was riding in broke back from the impact. It appears her head struck the side door post (we refer to this as the “B” post).
The patient was experiencing short term memory loss, head pain, nausea and felt weak all over. This could indicate a possible concussion. A c-collar was applied and she was transported on the patient stretcher.
The second individual involved was the driver who struck the woman’s vehicle. He was not injured. He stated that another car behind him was experiencing road rage. The car was riding very close to him and attempted to pass him, nearly running him off the road.
He stated he was not sure what this individual was going to do so he was watching him in his rear view mirror. As he checked the mirror the woman in front of him was stopped and attempting to turn into a driveway. When he looked back at the road he did not have time to stop.
A witness supported his story saying they saw the road rage individual driving recklessly. They had a description of his car but no license number. Unfortunately the man involved in the accident still received a ticket from police officers.
According to the NHTSA 66% of traffic fatalities are caused by aggressive driving. Road rage is defined as the act of causing harm to a person or vehicle while on the road. The act can occur with a vehicle or any other weapon. It also includes any acts of violence performed by a passenger in the vehicle.
Here are a few tips to avoiding aggressive drivers.
- Control your anger and stay calm.
- Don’t take traffic problems personally.
- Avoid making eye contact with an aggressive driver.
- Don’t make obscene gestures.
- Don’t tailgate.
- Use your horn sparingly, even a polite honk can be misinterpreted.
- Don’t block the passing lane.
- Don’t block the right turn lane.
- Report aggressive drivers to police.
- Remember the aggressive driver is looking for a fight.
These simple trips can help you avoid situations that may lead to a confrontation or motor vehicle crash. Stay calm it’s not worth getting upset over. Call the police and let them handle it.
Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.
Proverbs 19:11
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