Have you ever been on the road alongside a driver who engages in dangerous road rage behaviors? Sometimes it can be difficult to tell the difference between aggressive driving and road rage, but the important thing to remember is that both types of behaviors can be extremely dangerous and can cause car accidents.
Much too often, I work with clients who have sustained debilitating injuries because of another motorist’s aggressive actions on the road. I want to make sure you know that aggressive driving and road rage can take many different forms, and under any circumstance, these actions can result in that motorist being responsible for a traffic crash.
It is negligent to act aggressively on the road, and doing so means that a driver is breaching the duty of care that she or he owes to other people on the road. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety has conducted studies on road rage, and I want to tell you more about that work.
Defining Road Rage
Road rage is essentially an extreme form of aggressive driving. You might experience aggressive drivers on a relatively regular basis in and around Cleveland. For example, speeding, running a red light, or following too closely can all be examples of aggressive driving, and they can all lead to a serious accident. Yet road rage is a form of aggressive driving that is taken to another level.
According to AAA, extreme cases of aggressive driving known as road rage might include, for example:
- Making rude or obscene gestures toward another driver;
- Cursing or screaming at another motorist;
- Throwing objects at another driver’s vehicle, or at a motorcyclist or pedestrian;
- Ramming into another motorist’s car;
- Intentionally sideswiping another vehicle while passing; or
- Forcing another driver off the road.
To be clear, road rage often involves incidents where a driver is intentionally trying to cause some sort of harm, and these behaviors frequently do lead to serious and fatal collisions. There is no excuse for road rage, and I want to help you get the compensation you deserve from a driver who has engaged in unforgivable behaviors on the road.
Learning More About Road Rage Accidents
What else should you know about road rage? AAA provides some helpful statistics to explain how frequently different forms of aggressive driving happens. Here are some key facts and figures:
- More than 50% of drivers have admitted to intentionally tailgating another vehicle;
- About 47% of drivers say they have yelled at another motorist;
- Around 45% of drivers say they have honked at another motorist to express anger;
- About 33% of drivers say they have made angry gestures at another driver;
- About one-quarter, or 24%, of drivers admit to trying to block another vehicle from changing lanes;
- 12% of drivers admit to intentionally cutting off another car;
- 4% of drivers report that they have actually gotten out of the car to confront a driver; and
- 3% say they have rammed into another car intentionally.
Call Me for Assistance with Your Car Accident Claim
Road rage is extremely dangerous, and it can lead to debilitating and fatal car accident injuries. There is simply no excuse for road rage, and it is important to hold the at-fault driver accountable for his or her behavior. I’ll Make Them Pay!® Call my office today 877.944.4373 to speak with me about filing a car accident claim in order to seek financial compensation for your losses.
