Road rage kills every year; people lose control of their emotions and end up doing something that they regret, whether it’s causing an accident or physically assaulting another party. If you’re involved in any type of road rage incident, it’s in your best interest to leave the situation before it spirals out of control.
A Personal Road Rage Story with Tragic Results
Rob* waited patiently for his chance to merge onto the congested highway. A white pickup truck waved him in and he gratefully took his foot off the brake. Behind him, a red sedan zoomed ahead impatiently and cut in front of Rob’s car. Glowering, Rob flashed his brights and followed the offending sedan closely in the stop-and-go afternoon traffic.
Rob was angry now, and cut left into the next lane, hoping to pull alongside the red sedan and scowl at its driver. Behind him, an SUV had to brake suddenly to avoid hitting his rear bumper. Now the driver of the SUV was angry, and she’d already had a rough day.
The SUV changed lanes, not noticing another vehicle two lanes over was going for the same spot. Four cars were involved in the ensuing crash, and in the heavy traffic, it took extra time for police and ambulance crews to arrive. Although there were no fatalities, the crash injured three people, including Rob and a 12-year-old girl.
What Went Wrong in this Road Rage Incident?
There were several ways Rob could’ve helped to prevent the road rage accident, but instead, he contributed to it – and to his own subsequent injuries. Here’s where he went wrong:
- Rob let his anger control his actions. He would not ordinarily change lanes without signaling first.
- He wanted to make the driver of the red sedan “pay” for her rudeness. How? By seeing Rob’s angry face? Would that really have changed anything, or made the rude driver more considerate in the future?
- Rob passed his road rage along to at least one other driver, perpetuating the problem. As his case demonstrates, we aren’t alert to hazards when we’re angry and emotional.
If You Are Injured in a Road Rage Incident
A congested freeway filled with angry drivers can be an accident waiting to happen. Worse, when an accident does happen, tempers can flare further and lead to a screaming match, threats or even assault. You could escape an accident unharmed only to find yourself injured by battery at the hands of the other driver.
If you are involved in a road rage incident and sustained an injury, call an attorney right away – even if you were partially to blame.
Don’t be Rob. When other drivers are inconsiderate, brush it off and concentrate on being a safe and considerate driver yourself. Road rage can stop with you, if only you don’t pass it along.
*Names and some identifying details have been changed in the interest of privacy.
http://www.caraccidentlawyer-brooklyn.com/accident-type/hit-and-run/