Beware of Aggressive Drivers That Cause Accidents
For many people, driving can come with a lot of stress and lead to some behavior that can increase the risk of a car accident occurring. Many things can affect someone’s state of mind while they are driving. Alcohol, drugs, lack of sleep, etc. all change the state of mind and receive a great deal of coverage when it comes to their respective levels of risk for causing car accidents. Road rage should be taken just as seriously as these other impairments on driving ability. The damage caused by road rage is widespread and catastrophic on American roads.
Defining Road Rage
Road rage can be defined as violent anger caused by stressful driving conditions. This anger can manifest all kinds of reckless driving behaviors that put other drivers at risk. Most people have experienced driving conditions and situations that have caused immense stress but road rage takes things to another level. Some drivers become blinded by their anger and either succumb to reckless driving behaviors or even actively try to initiate accidents with other drivers out of spite. Road rage drivers actively attacking people with their cars is not as common yet it still happens. It is much more likely that drivers will simply resort to the following reckless driving behaviors out of frustration.
Road Rage Reckless Driving Behavior
- Speeding
- Cutting Off Drivers
- Tailgating
- Swerving in and out of Lanes
- Brake Checking
- Flashing Lights
- Honking, Yelling, or Gesturing at other Drivers
- Disregard of Traffic Laws
Distracted Driving and Florida Law
Being enraged while driving in itself is not illegal. Many of us have been frustrated and angered either by something that happens on the road or by circumstances in our life in general but most of the time this doesn’t have all that much of an effect on our driving. However, there are those that let stress and frustration get to them and they lose control. It is when people let the rage get to them and have their driving become impaired that they run into problems with the law. Florida law criminalizes “aggressive careless driving” even in cases where there is no direct collision between the vehicles involved. “Aggressive careless driving” is legally defined as committing two or more of the following acts simultaneously:
- Driving over the speed limit
- Improper lane changes
- Following behind cars too closely
- Failure to yield to other vehicles
- Improper passing
- Violating traffic control devices and signs
Safety Around Drivers With Road Rage
There is always a chance that you may encounter a driver with road rage while driving. In the event that this happens it is imperative that you remember to drive defensively. Being aware of other drivers is an essential part of driving and one should always be on the watch for reckless driving behaviors like those aforementioned.
Seeking Compensation After an Accident With a Road Rage Driver
Those that have been involved in car accidents with drivers exhibiting road rage may be able to seek compensation for severe injuries that they suffered as a result. A car accident claim can be filed against an at-fault driver that demonstrated negligence through their aggressive careless driving caused by road rage. Negligence caused by road rage is actually much simpler to prove since reckless driving is a felony in Florida. Reckless driving can be defined as when a person is guilty of willfully disregarding the safety of others with a “dangerous weapon,” i.e., the motor vehicle. This means that on top of damages like medical expenses and lost wages, a plaintiff can also seek compensation for punitive damages.
Consider Eberst Law For Your Car Accident Claim
After being involved in an accident that has left you with severe injuries, your best bet at recovering compensation is with the assistance of a lawyer experienced in car accident injury claims. You technically could pursue a claim on your own but the odds of you successfully navigating the many pitfalls of insurance tricks and the legal process is greatly diminished. Insurance companies have everything they need to successfully deny a claim; as that is their goal since profits are their main priority. Insurance companies have the experience, personnel, resources, lawyers, and money to fight a claim to any extent necessary. If it turns into a “who can withstand the storm longer” type of situation, the answer will always be the insurance company when competing against an injured victim on their own.
It doesn’t cost you anything to get an injury attorney to look at your case. Likewise, car accident lawyers don’t cost anything out of your pocket since they work on a contingency fee basis. This means they take a percentage of the settlement once the claim is seen through and don’t get paid at all if the injury victim doesn’t recover financial compensation. You or your loved one are likely significantly injured if you are even considering hiring a car accident attorney in the first place. So you should focus on your recovery while a professional works to maximize your settlement with the insurance companies and courts.
If you have been injured in a car accident in the Stuart, Florida or Gainesville, Florida area, contact the experienced personal injury team at The Eberst Law Firm. We are ready to handle your case. You can contact us online or call us at 772-225-4900.
Stuart, Florida Office
101 SE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd
Stuart, FL 34994
Gainesville, Florida Office
716 E. University Avenue
Gainesville, FL 32601
