Car Accidents and Road Rage in Brevard County
It may come as no surprise to learn that road rage is among the top causes of auto accidents. Whether through intentionally dangerous acts such as speeding and tailgating or because angry drivers are more susceptible to mistakes, auto accidents caused by road rage are a serious and often deadly problem. Personal injury attorney Steve Charpentier at Charpentier Law Firm in Melbourne, FL works to collect compensation for victims in auto accidents.
An Overview of Road Rage
Originally coined by a Los Angeles news station following a series of freeway shootings, road rage stems from aggressive driving techniques. When a driver endangers a person or uses a vehicle as a weapon to threaten, intimidate, or assault another driver, the driver is committing road rage. If you regularly speed, try to beat red lights, tailgate, honk, or obscenely gesture at another driver, you may be susceptible to road rage. If you frequently drive distracted, switch lanes without signaling, switch lanes without checking your blind spot, and keep your high beams on while oncoming traffic approaches, you could induce road rage.
Road Rage Facts and Statistics
Studies have shown that a majority of drivers view aggressive driving as a personal threat. According to statistics compiled by the NHTSA, road rage or aggressive driving causes two-thirds of traffic fatalities. Here are some other road rage facts and statistics to consider:
- Approximately 1,500 people are killed every year in road rage incidents
- Males 18 years and younger are most susceptible to road rage
- More than one in three aggressive driving incidents involve a firearm
- Distracted drivers cause slightly less than half of road rage incidents
- About 44 percent of road rage incidents are triggered when a driver is cut off
Part of the reason why road rage is such a problem is that drivers often feel they are facing a personal threat. When feeling threatened, a driver will more often than not respond with aggressive behavior. Further, as the amount of people who drive to work every day increases, so does congestion. With traffic comes an increase in road rage.
Certain acts are more likely than others to induce road range incidents. They include:
- Driving distracted
- Cutting someone off
- Driving aggressively
- Tailgating
- Blocking lanes to merge
- Heavy traffic
- Construction or detours
- City driving
Handling Road Rage
Whether or not you are to blame, if you have agitated another driver, do not retaliate or react in any way. It may be tempting in the heat of the moment to make an obscene gesture or honk, but doing so will only escalate the situation. Instead, avoid eye contact and continue to drive safely. By being an alert driver who follows the rules of the road, you are less likely to be victim in a road rage incident.
Contact Our Team of Skilled Auto Accident Attorneys
Road rage can be a traumatizing ordeal. If you have suffered injury or property damage on account of someone else’s road rage, attorney Steve Charpentier and the team at Charpentier Law Firm will work on your behalf to collect compensation. To learn more, visit our website or call 321-308-8020 today.
WE HAVE A HISTORY OF SUCCESS
IN BREVARD COUNTY
Over the past 40-plus years of helping Brevard County's injured and mistreated, our firm has obtained some $65 million in recoveries on behalf of our clients, highlighted by an $15.5 million product liability award.
The team at Charpentier Law Firm has the negotiation skills to reach favorable settlements in many cases, but also has the experience and perseverance to try a case to verdict whenever it is in the best interests of our clients. Our history of success illustrates our dedication to our clients and their pursuit of justice. Our personal injury attorneys in Melbourne, Titusville, and Cocoa are proud to offer superior legal representation to victims and their families throughout Brevard County and Central Florida.