Road rage occurs when a driver acts in a way that causes, or can potentially cause, physical harm or distress to other motorists. The behavior is antisocial and can lead to car accidents, injury, or death.

In many states, road rage is a criminal offense, and it can lead to violent and dangerous encounters between drivers and others on the road. A driver who police officers catch exhibiting road rage can face costly fines or a sentence of probation or jail for their momentary lack of judgment and inability to control their temper.

In addition to the criminal consequences of road rage, there can be costly civil effects. The result of many instances of road rage is a car accident. Car accidents can result in injuries that range from minor and temporary to severe and permanent. The responsible party should be the one paying for the harm that they caused to an accident victim.

Experienced accident lawyers can help accident victims get the money to care for themselves after an accident. Hiring an accident lawyer is the best next step for an accident victim after being involved with a driver expressing road rage.

Below are more details of what is considered road rage.

Signs of Road Rage

When a person thinks of a road rage incident, a certain visual comes to mind. One may think of a driver dumping their emotions onto another driver by being unreasonably hostile. The scene is usually tense and can end in injury, property damage, or even death.

Some signs of road rage include:

• Honking the horn
• Tailgating
• Aggressively changing lanes
• Yelling
• Purposeful collisions with another vehicle

People who display road rage and cause an accident or injury are responsible for the harm they cause to an accident victim. However, the driver’s insurance company may resist giving an accident victim the compensation needed to fully recover

Recovery for an accident victim can include getting medical treatment, missing work to heal, paying for property damage, and recovering from the emotional trauma that the accident caused. The need for all these avenues of recovery may be obvious, but just because the need is apparent, it does not mean an insurance company will willingly hand compensation to an accident victim.

Accident victim needs an experienced accident lawyer to get the money they need to fully recover after an accident they didn’t cause.

Frequently Asked Questions About Road Rage

#1. Is there a difference between aggressive driving and road rage?

Aggressive driving and road rage are not the same thing. However, aggressive driving and road rage may present similarly. There may be beeping, shouting, yelling, and threatening from an aggressive driver or in a road rage incident.

Aggressive driving happens when a driver commits a traffic offense and the traffic offense may put other drivers in danger. Road rage, however, is more intense. During a road rage incident, a driver may use the vehicle to display their emotions. The reaction may range from honking to intentionally hitting another vehicle to show how angry the driver got.

Whether an accident happens because of an aggressive driver or a driver showing signs of road rage, it is beneficial for the accident victim to reach out to an experienced car accident lawyer. It can be intimidating to reach out to an accident attorney, but it is the best decision a person can make after being involved in an accident. Accident attorneys help people get the compensation they need to heal in peace and get their lives back.

#2. What are some signs of aggressive driving?

Aggressive driving and road rage may show the same types of signs. Typical signs of aggressive driving include:

• Speeding in congested traffic
• Running a red light or a stop sign
• Failing to signal a lane change
• Brake checking
• Tailgating
• Flashing high beams
• Erratically changing lanes
• Honking
• Cutting someone off

This type of behavior may result in a traffic citation. Typically, these behaviors do not result in jail time. However, this kind of behavior may result in a car accident. If a person is an aggressive driver and causes an accident, they are responsible for the accident victim’s damages.

All injured accident victims should consult with an attorney as soon as possible. Particularly in road rage cases, it may be scary to pursue compensation against someone who demonstrates they may have a violent temper. However, the victim has losses and needs compensation to continue their life.

An accident lawyer can serve as a mediator between the parties. Although a settlement negotiation or lawsuit is adversarial, hiring an accident lawyer can remove some of the combativeness between the parties.

#3. What causes road rage?

Different stimuli cause road rage. By and large, road rage involves a snap reaction to a temporarily stressful situation. A person can just be having a bad day or suffer from a disorder that makes it difficult to control their temper. Someone can be frustrated with congested traffic. Bumper-to-bumper traffic can cause a driver to lose their temper and honk, yell at other drivers, swerve in and out of lanes, speed, run red lights, brake check, or even intentionally crash into another person’s vehicle.

Drivers may also believe that they have protection due to the anonymous nature of traffic. People may think it is okay to lose their temper because they will never see the other driver again. The anonymity may lead drivers to act in a way that they would not if they saw that driver again. Anonymity may cause drivers to relax their usual polite nature and let their tempers loose.

No matter the cause of a road rage car accident, an accident victim should hire a qualified accident lawyer to assist them in their case. Accident lawyers have the experience necessary to help victims get the compensation they need to recover from their injuries.

#4. Is road rage a crime?

Yes, in most states, road rage can lead to criminal charges, as it can involve using a vehicle as a weapon. Some road rage incidents involve the driver intentionally causing harm to another. That action is punishable by a large fine, jail time, or a felony conviction.

#5. What are some common injuries that accident victims suffer?

A victim of an accident may suffer more than one type of injury, and there are soft injuries and hard injuries.

Injuries to the body that require no invasive medical treatment are soft injuries. Soft injuries include bruises, cuts, scrapes, whiplash, and sprains. Medical attention may be necessary for these injuries, but they generally don’t cause long-term health problems for the victim. They can still result in medical bills, the need for physical therapy, and time off work, so even a soft injury can be costly and inconvenient.

The severity of hard injuries is higher. A hard injury can include a traumatic brain injury, a head injury, amputation, broken bones, paralysis, or death. Such injuries can often lead to civil lawsuits. Even though these injuries seem obvious, it can still be a challenge to get the treatment and financial support an accident victim needs to recover.

The cost of hard injuries is substantial. Hard injuries require medical treatment (often long-term treatment), unlike soft injuries. In most cases, these injuries are obvious. While getting the money they need to get well from the insurance company, many people who suffer catastrophic injuries in car accidents still face resistance.

You need proper representation after an accident. A qualified accident lawyer knows how to negotiate with insurance companies and defense lawyers. Many accident lawyers know the arguments that insurance companies typically make to undermine the injuries and harm that an accident victim suffers and may dispute that the person is hurt at all.

Individuals that go up against an insurance company alone rarely succeed. The reality is that insurance companies take advantage of unrepresented accident victims. Accident lawyers help protect the rights of victims against exploitative insurance companies.

#6. What happens after a car accident?

Report the accident to the police. The police will conduct an initial investigation. During the initial investigation, the officer will ask each driver their side of the story. The officer will ask pedestrians and other witnesses what they saw. The officer will then file their initial accident report. As a part of the accident report, the police officer will make an initial determination of fault. This decision is not the final determination of fault, but insurance companies will consider the police officer’s decision as part of their investigation and claim process.

Each driver’s insurance company must report the accident to the insurance company. Each insurance company will investigate the accident. The investigation will include speaking to its insured and an attempt to speak to the other driver. A driver that is not at fault should take care when the other party’s insurance company contacts them. The opposing insurance company has an agenda to protect the insurance company’s bottom line. Protecting the bottom line includes shortchanging the accident victim and giving little or no compensation to the victim.

An accident lawyer is the best advocate for an accident victim. An experienced accident lawyer has the skill required to help people navigate the complex process of getting compensation from an insurance company or defense lawyer.

#7. What is a contingency fee?

Accident lawyers are aware of car accident victims’ concerns about the cost of legal representation. As a result, accident lawyers often set up a contingency fee structure to help car accident victims pursue justice without breaking the bank.

In a contingency fee agreement, an attorney and client agree that the client will pay no attorney fees unless the client receives payment from a settlement or judgment. Contingency fee agreements should include what litigation expenses the client pays at what stage of the case. It’s up to the client and lawyer to decide whether the client should pay the litigation expenses upfront or wait until the case resolves.

Costs include filing fees, expert witness fees, deposition, and mediation fees, among others. The contingency fee agreement should state if an accident lawyer requires payment of expenses in advance. At the end of the case, a lawyer usually takes one-third of the settlement amount as a fee.

Typically, accident lawyers charge their clients a contingency fee to pursue an injury claim without incurring many or any upfront legal costs. Contingency fees are different from traditional retainer agreements or hourly fees lawyers charge in other cases. In a contingency fee agreement, a lawyer begins representing a client on the condition that they will pay them a percentage of the settlement amount they win. By keeping legal fees low, contingent fees benefit the client. The contingency fee sets the amount paid at the end of the case, regardless of the length of the case.

Lawyers must follow specific ethical rules, and contingency fee arrangements are only permissible for certain cases under applicable ethical rules. The good news is that personal injury cases – such as car accident claims – are one type of case when a lawyer can use a contingency fee arrangement.

Contact a Car Accident Lawyer Near You Today

Accident lawyers can help car accident victims get their lives back on track after an accident. Hiring a lawyer after an accident is beneficial since accident lawyers represent accident victims against insurance companies and defense attorneys.

Insurance companies do not represent accident victims. An insurance adjuster or lawyer must maximize the profit of the insurance company. An insurance company will take care of the accident victim’s injuries with little hassle to itself.

Lawyers assist accident victims in recovering damages after an accident. Contact a car accident lawyer who can fight as hard as the insurance company. Accident attorneys safeguard the rights of victims.