The Dangers of Road Rage
We’ve all seen that driver on the road who has clearly allowed their temper to get the better of them. While in most cases, we just shake our heads and move on with our days, this is not always possible, especially when the angry driver in question refuses to allow us to do so. Angry drivers pose a serious risk to others on the road and are responsible for an alarming number of accidents every year. For help ensuring that the driver who recklessly caused your own accident is held liable for his or her actions, please contact an experienced Fort Lauderdale auto accident attorney who can explain your legal options.
What is Road Rage?
Road rage is the term used to describe the dangerous behavior exhibited by drivers who become angry while driving their vehicles. While traffic and carelessness cause any number of people to become annoyed while driving, road rage describes a different, more heightened, state of being that is exhibited through the following actions:
- Making rude gestures;
- Yelling;
- Honking;
- Tailgating;
- Swerving in front of another vehicle;
- Slamming on one’s brakes;
- Following another vehicle;
- Flashing lights; and
- Speeding
While some of these actions, such as gesturing and shouting, may seem relatively harmless, they can quickly escalate to swerving, tailgating, brake checking, and speeding, all of which have the potential to cause a collision with others on the road.
Avoiding Road Rage
When possible, it is in a driver’s best interests to refrain from engaging with another driver who is exhibiting road rage. Getting safely out of their way and avoiding eye contact are both good ways to de-escalate a conflict with another driver, as are changing lanes or slowing down in. In most cases, the angry driver will continue to drive and the confrontation will be avoided. Drivers should never, in any situation, pull over and attempt to physically or verbally confront the angry driver, as this can quickly escalate to a violent encounter. Those who do need to stop, however, should consider pulling into a nearby police station or a public place where they can obtain help.
Florida is a comparative negligence state, which means that courts take an injured party’s actions into account when determining personal injury damages and will reduce that individual’s award by his or her percentage of fault in contributing to the accident. For this reason, it is important, at all costs, for drivers to stay calm when being antagonized by another driver, as responding in any way can jeopardize that individual’s ability to recover damages in the event that the angry driver causes an accident.
Contact an Experienced Fort Lauderdale Car Accident Attorney
Recovering damages from a driver who caused your accident can be difficult in Florida, which requires injured parties to prove that their injuries are severe. For help seeking compensation for your own car accident-related losses, please contact the dedicated car accident legal team at Boone & Davis by calling 954-566-9919 or complete one of our brief online contact forms today.
Resource:
nbcnews.com/better/lifestyle/what-causes-road-rage-how-can-drivers-control-it-ncna982896
https://www.booneanddavislaw.com/common-road-hazards/
