People often become very frustrated in traffic. No one likes to encounter a traffic jam, and the behavior of others on the road can lead to people losing their cool. Some people just yell a few curse words or make an angry gesture.
Others become aggressive and dangerous. They succumb to road rage. Road rage has become a more pressing issue in recent years. Drivers may engage in reckless, dangerous and aggressive behavior in response to traffic frustrations.
People who encounter road rage drivers may be at risk, especially if those road rage drivers focus on them. There are several ways in which road rage motorists can cause injury to others. If people experience one of the three types of incidents below, they may need help holding road rage drivers accountable. How can drivers who lose their temper in traffic injure others?
1. By causing crashes
Road rage drivers often try to get back at people who they believe have inconvenienced them. If they believe another driver cut into their lane, they might swerve over the line separating two lanes of traffic to intimidate the other driver. That could lead to a sideswipe collision if the other driver doesn’t notice in time or has no room to maneuver.
Road rage drivers who are angry that someone cut them off on a busy road may pass that driver and then slam on their brakes. They might also tailgate people while yelling at them from behind, only to rear-end them because they don’t leave enough space to slow down or stop.
2. By becoming a distraction
Road rage drivers aren’t always involved in the crashes that they cause. Instead, they may contribute to a crash by becoming a major distraction on the road. Their erratic maneuvers, angry gestures and shouted curse words can prevent other motorists from keeping their attention on traffic around them.
People trying to make sense of a road rage driver’s conduct might look to the side instead of ahead, resulting in a rear-end crash. They might also leave their lanes of traffic and sideswipe other vehicles.
3. By becoming violent
Some road rage incidents cause injury not because of collisions but because of physical assaults. Motorists infuriated by the conduct of other drivers sometimes follow the targeted individual for miles with the intention of confronting them. That confrontation could escalate into a physical attack. Road rage drivers might strike people. In more severe cases, they might use weapons during a confrontation.
People involved in car crashes or who are otherwise harmed by unsafe drivers may have legal rights. Pursuing compensation for injuries and property damage losses by filing an insurance claim or a lawsuit can help people hold road rage drivers accountable.
