Before they know it, Albuquerque motorists can become the victims of a road rage incident. It may all start because drivers were going too slow on the freeway or because they took a parking spot that another had an eye on. Regardless of the situation, there are tips that people can follow that may help them defuse road rage both in others and in themselves.
Drivers should know what kind of things help relieve stress. For some, it’s listening to music, and for others, it can be thinking reasonable thoughts. For example, they should tell themselves that aggressive driving will not enable them to reach their destination any sooner. If a parking spot is taken before their very eyes, they should give the other driver the benefit of the doubt: Perhaps he or she did not see them.
Above all, people should not do anything to anger the other driver further. This means no hand gestures, honking the horn or flashing the headlights. Even making eye contact with the offending driver may be taken as a challenge and cause the situation to escalate. Motorists, to get out of an incensed driver’s way, should neither speed up nor slow down as this can close a passing lane and anger that driver even more.
When aggressive drivers cause car accidents, they will most likely be held financially responsible for them. Victims may be partially to blame, of course, if they did something to instigate the driver. New Mexico follows the rule of pure comparative negligence, so their degree of fault will not hinder the filing of a claim. However, it may hinder their chances of actually recovering damages, so it might be advisable to have an attorney give the case a thorough evaluation.
