Founding Attorney
When a driver gets angry with another motorist to the point where he or she becomes aggressive, this is called road rage. The AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety conducted a study which estimated that close to 80 percent of drivers expressed “significant anger, aggression, or road rage” while driving in the past year. Even more disconcerting is the fact that this same study revealed that almost 8 million U.S. drivers displayed extreme road rage behaviors like intentionally ramming another vehicle.
Unfortunately, New York has developed a reputation of having aggressive drivers and this can often lead to road rage incidents. In fact, a Reuters poll showed New York as the highest road rage state in the country. If you have been injured by someone driving with road rage, you need New York personal injury attorney Michael LoGiudice. We all get upset from time to time on the road, but having these emotions escalate so that you are intentionally putting others in danger is unacceptable.
Road Rage: How to Spot it and How to Prevent it
There is no way of knowing if the driver in the lane next to you has had an exceptionally frustrating day or if the truck driver behind you has a short fuse on his or her temper. That being said, there are certain behaviors to watch for in order to avoid an overly aggressive driver. These behaviors include:
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Tailgating
Honking, yelling, flashing lights and/or making angry gestures
Speeding and sudden acceleration
Sudden braking
Reckless lane changing
Cutting off another driver
Intentionally blocking another driver trying to change lanes
The best way to help prevent road rage or prevent road rage from escalating, is to avoid drivers exhibiting the above behaviors as best as possible. Do not engage with the other driver in any way. Retaliatory driving maneuvers will only aggravate already dangerous driving conditions. Staying calm will do a lot to deescalate a tense situation.
Remember that we all have bad days and try not to take the aggressive actions of another driver personally. When we encounter an aggressive driver, it is understandably upsetting as it is stressful on the road and their emotions are creating a dangerous driving situation for you. Try to be as tolerant as possible. Rising to the emotional level of an angry driver is a recipe for disaster.
If you encounter someone with road rage who will not leave you alone despite your best efforts, contact 9-1-1 if you feel it is necessary. There have been some awful stories of those who were put in extremely dangerous situations due to road rage. Better to be extra safe than very sorry.
Aggressive Legal Representation Fighting for the Injured
If you have been injured in an auto accident due to the recklessness of another driver, you are entitled to monetary compensation for your medical expenses, lost wages, pain and suffering, and loss of future earning capacity. You may also be entitled to punitive damages if the actions of the at-fault driver were particularly egregious. Contact New York personal injury attorney Michael LoGiudice today.