California Road Rage Car Accidents
California road rage is on the rise: with over 5 million road rage incidents nationally per year. August this year, a driver had to undergo a limb amputation due to road rage in California. As you can see, road rage incidents are serious, whether you’re the victim or the accused, so it’s essential to seek legal help from a San Diego personal injury lawyer with road rage legal expertise.
California Road Rage Law
Aggressive driving can lead to traffic citations and road rage incidents, and California law is particularly strict when it comes to road rage. You could land yourself in a situation of getting a citation, speeding, property damage, bodily injury, or other unsafe driving. If you’re caught in a road rage incident, your insurance rates will likely increase, too.
Road Rage Accidents
Road rage accidents typically occur as the result of an escalation, provocation, or perceived slight between drivers on the road. Because impulse, response, and anger are involved, road rage accidents are typically fast, dangerous, and can even prove deadly.
In road rage accidents, one or more drivers have let their emotions get the better of them as they are effectively driving a weapon that can injure pedestrians and other drivers. Road rage accidents are on the rise, and they’re a major public safety concern.
Road rage accidents are caused when someone accidentally drives too close to another vehicle, pulls out in front of another driver, and an angry or violent reaction ensues.
How To Avoid Road Rage Accidents
Road rage accidents largely occur as the result of a perceived slight, or because you made an “impolite” move on the road that bothers someone. Naturally, road rage accidents are usually the fault of the aggressor, but there are some things you can do to prevent road rage:
- Do not drive when sleepy, irritable, or distracted
- Think twice about getting behind the wheel if you are already upset before driving home from a stressful job or situation
- Only use your horn in a truly dangerous situation, not to express anger
- Assume good intent from other drivers
- When you have time, be courteous and allow other drivers to pass in front of you
- Allow extra time to get to your destination: lots of times, people get frustrated due to traffic or rushing
- Practice positive driving habits
- Avoid cutting people off, swerving around traffic, and flashing bright headlights
- Don’t have emotional phone conversations, even if you are using the legally required hands-free mode
If you see road rage in action, protect yourself and others by calling 911 to report and document the event. Your 911 records are admissible in court and in cases pertaining to road rage, so they’re an extra layer of protection. Let law enforcement deal with irate drivers.
Claims
Many auto policies exempt coverage of road rage. That’s because it’s the result of risky behavior, not an accident, so if you are the perpetrator, you could end up with increased insurance rates and no coverage for the incident.
As noted, it’s expensive if your insurance won’t cover your claims as a result of potential road rage. On the flip side, if you’re a victim of road rage, you’ll need a San Diego personal injury lawyer to help you navigate claims and potentially file a lawsuit and accept a settlement or court appearance.
If you’ve been involved in an accident or situation resulting from road rage in California, it’s time to seek the aid of a San Diego personal injury attorney immediately. Lessen your stress by hiring Keith J. Stone today.