Road Rage and Accidents

We’re all familiar with road rage: the extreme temper outbursts that can be deadly for those on the receiving end. Road rage is different from your average traffic jam cursing. Road rage happens when a driver becomes “enraged” at another driver, and actively pursues that person with the intent of physically damaging the car, causing an accident, or at its worst, killing the other driver. What should you do if you see a situation of impending road rage, and what can you do if you are involved?

With the increasing temperatures across the country, and higher levels of traffic on the road from summertime activity and vacations, drivers are impatient and intolerant of others on the road. They move even quicker to get to where they are going, with the only mission of driving faster than everyone around them. People snap, become enraged to the point of violence, and disobey the rules of the road without a second thought. Add that to the probability that they have been drinking or impaired, and you have a dangerous situation no matter how you look at it.

Road rage isn’t difficult to spot, but can be mistaken for horseplay on the road or antics between a few drivers. If you ever see drivers racing toward each other, swerving or doing stunts on the road, it’s best to get off that road and pursue a different route of travel. What you’ll be witnessing is an accident waiting to happen. If you ever see a weapon pointing out a window or inside the car by a handler, stay out of the way and exit that road as quickly as possible. You never know if a bullet will ricochet off something and end up heading in your direction. When you anticipate either scenario, a piece of advice is to call 9-1-1 immediately, provide your location points, and give a full description of what you saw.

Other times you may not be so lucky, and find yourself in a car accident resulting from others fleeing a situation or finding themselves in the line of fire from someone’s bullet or other weapon that missed its original target. If you find that you have been injured as a result of road rage or other traffic accident, your ability to feel safe on the road may be forever compromised. Establishing a solid case to help you move forward will best be taken care of in the hands of an attorney in New York or your hometown.

Keeping cool on the road is the best form of defense when you see violence surrounding your travel conditions. Stay safe by exiting the scene as quickly as possible and avoid being a target.