The Impact of Road Rage on Car Accidents
Get behind the wheel, and don’t be surprised if you encounter problems on the road. Some drivers are exceedingly slow. Others pass between cars and cut you off. For most of us, it’s an annoyance and just part of driving. But for others, when you combine heightened annoyance with aggression, road rage incidents can occur.
We’ve all seen people excessively honking their horns and driving aggressively to establish their place in line. It’s always a good idea to steer clear of these individuals.
If you are involved in a road rage car accident in Alabama, Attorney Chip Nix can consult on your injuries to see if you are eligible for compensation from the negligent driver. Do not hesitate to call soon after the accident.
Road Rage Death and Injuries
While most of us accept road delays as part of travel, other drivers may be having an especially bad day. Maybe they are tired, running late for an important meeting, or angry at someone or something else. As a result, you may see a driver swearing and using profanity, ramming a vehicle, or running someone off the road. On occasion, this can escalate into a physical or verbal confrontation or even a shooting.
As reported by Forbes Advisor, Alabama ranks fourth worst in the nation for the number of drivers who have expressed and experienced road rage while driving. In Alabama, 87% of drivers report that another driver has yelled, insulted, or made threats.
According to Everytown for Gun Safety, when motorists have a firearm in the car, they tend to behave more aggressively. Since 2018, road rage shooting deaths have increased every year.
In the year 2022, road rage shooting deaths doubled from the year before to 141. That year, there was a road rage incident where someone was shot and injured or killed on average every 16 hours.
The numbers keep climbing, and no region of the country is immune to road rage. States that do not require a permit to carry a gun have a far higher rate of road rage shootings with injuries and death, according to the gun safety group.
Road Rage and Aggression
Emboldened by a gun in the car and angered at someone on the road, someone experiencing road rage is likely to cause more accidents. As opposed to aggressive driving, road rage is an intentional assault by a driver or passenger with a motor vehicle and is precipitated by an incident on the roadway.
- Impacts Driving—Someone enraged and emboldened by having a gun in his car is less likely to pay attention to safe driving, including traffic signals, the presence of other vehicles, and driving the speed limit.
- Causing Accidents – An enraged driver may use his vehicle to assault another driver or his vehicle physically. This could take the form of forcing him off the road, hitting the other driver, intimidating others, and swerving in and out of traffic.
- More Severe Injuries – Adding speed to road rage may result in more dangerous Alabama car accidents. Since someone experiencing rage behind the wheel almost always speeds, the resulting injuries from a car accident can be more severe and life-altering.
Your Alabama Car Accident Attorney
Experiencing road rage in Alabama may not just put others in jeopardy, but you may also break the law and commit a criminal violation. The Anti-Road Rage Act, enacted in Alabama in 2020, prevents vehicles from driving in the left lane of the interstate for more than a mile and a half without passing another car.
The law is intended to reduce some drivers’ anger when a vehicle in the left lane refuses to move over and let others pass.
With the passage of the Anti-Road Rage Act (HB212), road rage driving has been upgraded to a felony in Alabama, especially if an assault or firearm violation is involved.
If you have been involved in an Alabama car accident with an aggressive driver, you could be entitled to compensation for their reckless behavior. Compensation may include your losses from medical expenses, wage losses, both now and in the future, and your quality of life, pain, and suffering.
Car accident attorney Chip Nix will offer a complimentary consultation to explore your options after a road rage accident. Please call his Montgomery office at (334) 203 6669 to arrange a meeting. You have a limited time to seek compensation.
Sources:
Everytown
https://everytownresearch.org/reports-of-road-rage-shootings-are-on-the-rise/
HB212
https://legiscan.com/AL/text/HB212/2019
Forbes Advisor
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/car-insurance/state-rankings-confrontational-drivers/
