Driving recklessly and exposing other road users to potentially hazardous outcomes is an offence that warrants a fine or jail term. However, no matter how well you obey the road rules and regulations, you can’t dictate how another driver drives. Some of the causes of dangerous driving include intoxication, visual impairments, distractions, or inexperience of the driver. Traffic congestion, change in weather and long commutes can make it hard to drive and make even the best driver a bit dangerous.
It’s an unfortunate reality that you may have to deal with at some point in your life especially if you’re a frequent road user. This is why all road users need to obey road rules and regulations and stay calm whenever they meet a reckless or dangerous driver because this can mean the difference between staying safe and getting into an accident. If you want to reduce and contain such road risks, you might want to consider taking the following steps
1. Exercise caution
If you think the driver in front of you may be intoxicated or driving in a distracted manner, the best thing to do is ensure that you’ve got your seatbelt on, pull over and put as much distance between your and the potentially dangerous driver. Your priority should be your safety and the safety of everyone onboard your vehicle.
2. Take Notes
Write down all the details about the car being driven by the dangerous driver. Look for specific car information such as the registration numbers, model of the car, colour, etc, because this can help in the event an accident occurs. Also, take note of the direction the car is headed.
3. Follow traffic laws
As a road user, you always should adhere to the road rules and regulations of your country. If you’re a pedestrian and you spot a reckless driver, it’s advisable to use crosswalks or intersections in the places you expect to interact with drivers. Drivers are also meant to follow the speed limits.
4. Concentrate on the road
It’s easy for an aggressive driver to be distracting to other road users. If you think you see an aggressive driver, don’t take your eyes off the road and ensure you turn off other distractions, like your radio and mobile phone, to make sure you have maximum concentration.
It can be very hard to avoid aggressive drivers sometimes, so you should always pay keen attention whenever you’re sharing the road with one.
5. Alert the authorities
Call the police if possible and share the details of the car being driven recklessly. Provide the police with the license plate number, car model, and the location you spotted the car. This will help them track down the reckless driver easier. Do not engage the aggressive driver. Simply give the information and let the authorities do their work.
6. Alert other road users
Alerting other road users can help reduce the risk of potential accidents. You can alert other road users so that they can give way to the aggressive driver and avoid their cars being rammed into. This helps to keep other road users alert and avoid any harmful outcomes.
7. Keep road rage in check
When you see a reckless and dangerous driver, don’t shout, threaten or point fingers at them. Instead, make efforts to keep them calm. Road rage can cause the dangerous driver to make careless mistakes in the heat of the moment. Additionally, make sure you keep your hands firmly and well-positioned on the steering wheel and your eyes glued on the road.
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