Road Rage Accident Injury Lawyers

For many of us, driving on California’s roads is a daily necessity. Every day, we join countless other drivers as we commute to work, take the kids to school, run errands, and go about our daily lives. With so many cars on California’s busy roads and highways, road rage has become more commonplace, and the results are devastating.

Road rage is a catch-all term to describe hostile conduct by a motorist. Road rage comes in many forms, from shouting insults or threats of violence to unsafe driving meant to intimidate others on the road. Road rage makes California roads less safe for everyone, and road rage incidents often lead to car accidents that result in serious injury.

Even if you are not directly involved in a road rage incident, you can easily get caught up in the aftermath. One recent California road rage incident shows how an innocent driver can become the unintended accident victim of road rage.

The Mad Road Rage Story

A passenger in a car traveling on a Southern California freeway managed to capture an incident of road rage between a motorcyclist and a motor vehicle driver that caused a chain-reaction crash that ended in tragedy. The video, published by NBC4 News in Los Angeles, serves as a stark reminder of why road rage has no place on California’s highways.

The video begins right after a car cut off a motorcyclist during a lane change. In response, the motorcyclist pulls up next to the car and kicks the door. In retaliation, the car’s driver swerves toward the motorcyclist, nearly crashing into him. Instead of crashing into the bike, the car hits the median, bounces back through lanes of traffic, and crashes into a pickup, and the motorcyclist drives away without injury. The only injured victim in this accident was the pickup driver, who found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Road Rage Accident Statistics

According to a report by Bankrate, nearly 80% of drivers say that they have experienced road rage while driving, while 78% admit to engaging in aggressive behaviors on America’s roadways. The most recent data show that road rage more often affects those individuals who spend a lot of time on the road, with traffic congestion often cited as a leading factor in incidents of aggressive driving. That means that commuters are at the most risk.

Preventing Road Rage

While you cannot control the behavior of other drivers on the road, there are certain steps that you can take when driving that will help you avoid being a victim.

The best way to avoid road rage is always to follow the rules of the road and remain courteous, which includes the following:

• Maintaining safe distances between vehicles.
• Always using turn signals.
• Leaving room for others to merge.
• Refraining from offensive and inflammatory hand gestures or language.
• Practicing patience at all times.
• Using your car’s high beams only when necessary.

While driving on California’s roadways can be frustrating, road rage is risky, dangerous, and never the right answer.

What To Do If You Are the Victim of a Road Rage Accident

Sometimes, no matter how careful we are on the road, we can become innocent victims due to someone else’s road rage.

If you are the victim of a road rage accident, the most important thing you can do in the situation is to remain calm. In a road rage incident, emotions run high, and you may want to retaliate, but that will only worsen matters. Reacting to a road rage accident with a cool head is important.

A road rage accident is no different than any other accident. You need to take the following steps:

• Call 911 and request police and emergency services.
• Identify potential witnesses and gather their contact information.
• Get the contact information of all parties involved in the accident. In the case of a road rage accident, it may be best to collect this information from the police instead of directly from the aggressive driver or motorist.
• As soon as you can, take pictures of any vehicles involved in the accident, the accident scene, and any personal injuries.
• Write down a complete, personal account of the accident.
• Seek medical treatment immediately, even if you don’t think you are injured.
• Contact an experienced Los Angeles road rage accident attorney.

Can I Sue for Road Rage in California?

If you or someone you love was injured in a California road rage accident, you have a right to sue the aggressive driver that caused the accident. A road rage lawsuit is no different than any other personal injury claim related to a car accident. If you or a loved one were injured due to another driver’s negligence, you might be entitled to compensation.

Although road rage might have clearly played a role in the accident, proving fault in a personal injury claim can be another matter. That’s why it is important to contact a personal injury attorney experienced in road rage accident lawsuits.

Contact a Los Angeles Road Rage Accident Attorney Today!

The legal team at the Law Offices of Samer Habbas is dedicated to helping California road rage accident victims get the compensation they deserve.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a motor vehicle accident involving road rage, our experienced Los Angeles car accident attorneys are available to personally review your case. Call us at 1-619-626-2143 to schedule a free, complimentary consultation with our legal team today.