DFW Ranks High on Road Rage Incidents: Here is the Reason

As a Dallas-Fort Worth personal injury lawyer, I know that there are countless different reasons which could contribute to a fatal auto accident. The reason that road rage is so dangerous is that it causes drivers to put emotion before logic and that can often lead to a disasterous outcome on the road.


Road Rage can build very fast and get nasty in a hurry. Many times people get aggravated with other drivers and decide they need to get revenge or show their expressions while driving. It always starts with one car upset at another car and typically never has a good outcome. Here are a few pointers about road rage

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Dallas Fort Worth Distracted Driving Survey
Texas manners seem to have gone out the window on many roads in Dallas and Fort Worth. Every year, Connecticut-based automobile club AutoVantage surveys 2,500 drivers nationwide to learn where road rage is the worst. The latest survey shows that Dallas ranks second worst for road rage in the country. The Metroplex has more admitted tailgaters than any other city as well as distracted drivers and speeders. I think that road rage is more common in Dallas and Fort Worth because we have a longer commute every day than any other metropolitan city in the country. We think that since we are sitting in our cars gives us time to put on our makeup, eat a meal, or anything that distracts us from keeping our eyes on the road.

What is a Road Rage Driver?
There are many factors that go into the making of road rage: distracted drivers, speeding, people who are angry/stressed, people who run red lights, drivers who are in a hurry, slow traffic, and semi-trucks who get in the way.

How to be a Safer Driver (and Hopefully Prevent Endangering Other Drivers)
Many times drivers forget the basics of driving, so I thought of a few ideas that can hopefully refresh your memory.
• Keep a safe distance when driving. Drivers constantly keep an eye out of what is happening in their rear view mirror and by tail gating the driver your chances are much higher of causing an accident.
• Signal every time you change lanes or turn. Sometimes people are just too lazy to simply warn other drivers what they are doing, which ultimately ends up in a car accident.
• Buckling up is another idea to keep you safer on the road. Many lives are lost simply because no seat belt was worn.
• Drive the speed limit. Driving faster really doesn’t make you get to your destination any faster. If you are in a hurry leave a minute or two earlier.

How to Prevent from Being a Victim of Road Rage
• Do not challenge an aggressive driver. By speeding up or slowing down you are playing a game with the other driver that consequently will have bad results.
• Ignore gestures from the other driver and do not return gestures.
• Avoid eye contact, not only is this sending the driver a signal of I am tougher than you, but you are also taking your eyes off the road.
• Report aggressive drivers to the appropriate authorities by providing a vehicle description, license number, location, and if possible, direction of travel. This is extremely important. Reporting the vehicle that is being overly aggressive can prevent the same behaviors from happening to other people