Road Rage and Aggressive Driving Accidents
According to a recent survey conducted by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 48 percent of drivers admitted to having driven at least 15 miles per hour over the speed limit on the freeway in the 30 days immediately prior to the survey. Of these, 13 percent admitted to doing so either fairly often or on a regular basis.
Speeding, aggressive lane changing, tailgating, and other forms of dangerous or aggressive behavior can lead to catastrophic, even fatal crashes that irrevocably change or end lives in an instant. If you were in an accident caused by another motorist’s aggressive driving and suffered injuries as a result, you may be facing a difficult physical recovery, time away from your job, and other challenges. You may also be eligible for compensation for these losses.
The team at Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. can help. For more than 40 years, we’ve pursued justice on behalf of victims of road rage and aggressive driving accidents by holding these aggressive drivers accountable for their actions. Contact us today to learn more about your legal options during a free consultation.
What Is the Difference Between Aggressive Driving and Road Rage?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration defines aggressive driving as behaviors “that encroach on others’ safe space.” Many of us recognize aggressive driving behaviors when we see them because many of them are well-known traffic offenses. Some common examples of aggressive driving include:
- Speeding
- Tailgating
- Frequent lane changes, often with very little room for error
- Dangerous or illegal passing
- Running red lights and stop signs
- Cutting in front of other drivers
- Failing to use turn signals
- Failing to yield
If this aggression shows a “willful or wanton disregard for the safety of persons or property,” it rises to the level of reckless driving – a criminal offense in Illinois and generally a Class A misdemeanor. When it results in great bodily harm, permanent disability, or disfigurement, it’s considered a Class 4 felony.
Aggressive driving is distinct from road rage, which the NHTSA defines as “an intentional assault by a driver or passenger with a motor vehicle or a weapon that occurs on the roadway or is precipitated by an incident on the roadway.” Road rage is most often exhibited by young males.
While road rage may manifest through aggressive driving behaviors like those listed above, it has some key elements that make it a unique threat. For example, many road rage incidents involve firearms, whether through threatening displays or actual firing. And unfortunately, it’s common for road rage to escalate because it’s often met with aggression from the other driver.
It’s easy to see how both aggressive driving and road rage can lead to devastating accidents, severe injuries, and traffic fatalities.
How Aggressive Driving Causes Car Crashes
Aggressive driving causes auto collisions in several ways. First, aggressive behaviors like speeding and making frequent, erratic lane changes make it harder for the drivers to control their vehicles. For example, a driver attempting to cut in front of someone may sideswipe or clip their vehicle. Also, many hit-and-run collisions result from aggressive driving behaviors, particularly speeding.
Additionally, drivers aggressively operating their vehicles do so at a cost to their reaction time. Driving at an excessive speed is dangerous because it reduces reaction time, causing collisions to occur with a greater force. But combining speeding with erratic lane changes, running red lights, tailgating, and other aggressive behaviors further increases the risk of a crash because it makes it harder for drivers to react in time to avoid a collision.
Finally, aggressive driving also compromises the ability of other drivers – those who are following the traffic laws – to react in time to avoid collisions. Part of being a responsible driver is behaving in a way that allows other drivers to gauge what you’re doing and what you intend to do. For example, failing to signal and rapidly zipping from one lane to another fails to meet this responsibility and confuses careful drivers.
What Causes Road Rage?
Road rage is the result of psychological reactions to external factors. Sometimes these factors are genuinely frustrating actions on the part of other drivers, such as distracted driving, failure to signal, or failure to remain in their lane. But road rage is a disproportionate and highly dangerous response to these actions.
Road rage is also caused by situations that may, at least to some extent, be beyond a driver’s control. Perhaps they’re running late, traffic is especially heavy, they’re stuck at what feels like a very long stoplight, or they’re just having a bad day. If drivers are already frustrated or angry, these types of situations can cause them to react with aggression and even violence toward their fellow drivers.
Possible Compensation You Can Recover in a Road Rage Accident
The physical and financial effects of a crash caused by an aggressive driver can be substantial. Thankfully, you can pursue compensation for your losses arising from such a collision, including:
- Current and anticipated future medical expenses
- Lost income, including loss of earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Wrongful death
Additionally, under Illinois law, you may be able to recover punitive damages from an aggressive driver who caused a crash and injured you. This applies in cases where a driver displays reckless indifference to the harm they risk inflicting on others. Punitive damages cannot be recovered through a settlement. Rather, you must go to trial and win.
Contact Our Road Rage Car Crash Lawyers
If you suffered injuries as the result of another driver’s road rage or other aggressive driving behavior, you deserve to focus on recovering from your injuries. You shouldn’t devote your energy to a complex legal battle in order to pursue the compensation you deserve. Fortunately, you don’t have to. A Chicago auto accident lawyer can help you.
Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard P.C. has recovered more than $2.5 billion in compensation for our clients, including over 350 verdicts and settlements of $1 million or more. We’re here to help you seek justice through full and fair compensation for your injuries and other losses. Contact us today for a free consultation to discuss your case.
