Road Rage Can Spiral Beyond Control Quickly

It is hot. We are irritable. Traffic can be awful. The heat enflames us on top of the stressors already present in our lives such as family and work stresses--the stresses of life. Summer irritability happens every year in St. Louis just as the seasons change-- so slow down, take a breath and exercise a little politeness this summer. Just a few days ago, I witnessed two men engaged in a road rage incident for five blocks in downtown, St. Louis.  Apparently one driver was angry the other driver didn't move quick enough after the light changed.   I followed at a safe distance since both vehicles were careening through traffic, lunging at one another and one driver actually got out of his car as if to physically confront the other man in the oncoming car. Nothing about this exchange looked smart--in fact, it appeared ludicrous. Nothing was resolved and both men were certainly enraged the rest of the day. Road rage is increasing in our area, at best it can be called "reckless driving".  But, when you are involved in a motor vehicle incident that involves aggressive driving behaviors likened to "road rage", things can get dicey--in real time (injuries and death) and legally speaking- insurance companies.

Being Polite Can Go a Long Way

Hey, we all have somewhere to be or we wouldn't be on the road. We may be crabby and inpatient during the heat. Additionally, if you've paid attention, you know violent crimes tend to escalate during the hot temperatures in St. Louis.  Do not assume that everyone you meet on the roadway is calm and in their happy place. One commute through rush hour and you know that few drivers are in their "happy place".  It's very tempting to honk and make rude gestures at other drivers when you are angry.  Many of us may be guilty of this, but sometimes simply being a polite driver can make the difference between an incident and a full-blown road rage confrontation. I don't generally write articles about road rage because usually it is a fraction of the motor vehicle crash behaviors. When we think of "road rage", we think of people on the I-405 in LA who crawl at a snail's pace for hours who flip out; but it happens far more frequently than it should everywhere in the U.S. In a study done by SafeMotorist.com, they found that 66% of recent traffic fatalities can be linked to aggressive driving. More disturbing is that 37% of those fatalities were found to be caused by a firearm, rather than the regular accident.  Road rage and fire arms, what could possibly go wrong? SafeMotorist.com found that victims often turn into the aggressors.  According to AAA, the driving behaviors that trigger anger are pretty common: getting cut off, someone driving slow in the left lane and a major issue-tail gaiting.

Be a Considerate Driver

Pay attention, use your blinker and flow with traffic. Remember, we are "sharing" the roadway and that includes motorcycles and bicycles. When you are in a near miss situation, you fear for your safety and your next emotion is anger. You never know what the other driver is going through in a driving situation. Thus, before you start flipping people off and screaming colorful obscenities, remember that other driver may already be at their breaking point as they may be dealing with the challenges of life we all cope with such as death, work stress, family issues, and anger issues. That doesn't mean of course, that you are not cursing them in your "indoor voice" inside your car or under your breath. Really, will your "cussing" someone really make them a better driver and have you Ever been offered an apology after you "cussed" someone out? When a road rage incident happens, the response goes a couple of ways--Either they give the surrender motion and say "my bad" or they become equally obnoxious. By then, you are both distracted which could lead to a crash. So, pause before you engage in a "road fight".

When You're Involved in a Traffic Incident Resulting from Road Rage

If you are injured in a motor vehicle crash due to a road rage issue, it may get a little tricky legally speaking.  When someone hits another car and road rage is involved, an insurance company may deny liability altogether and call it a "purposeful act".  I realize on television, they glamourize it by saying "I'm insured" after they totally crush another car, but in real life it does not work that way.  Insurance companies may deny a claim happily if either party were involved in any purposeful cause of crash. Plus, there are natural consequences such as a possible injury or death. Again, there is always the possibility of criminal charges as well.

Be a Considerate Driver, Slow Down and Be Patient

We're all trying to get somewhere safely.  Allow plenty of travel time and remember to pay attention to reduce the amount of "dumb driving" errors you make when you are not paying attention. People tend to leave you alone when you drive safely.  It's amazing how far politeness and being engaged results in positive moments on and off the roadway.

Injured in Motor Vehicle Crash?

If you have been injured in a motor vehicle crash regardless of road rage, you will need legal representation. We handle serious injury motor vehicle crashes and we are very familiar with the runaround that you will get from an insurance company after you are hurt. Don't talk to the adjuster about your injuries, just call our attorneys.

Call us for a free consultation 1.800.685.3302 or 314.276.1681