Road rage is a universal issue that exists even within our lovely community of Sarasota, Florida. In April of 2018, an extreme incident of road rage occurred when an altercation erupted between a driver and motorcyclist. The driver rammed his car into the motorcyclist pushing him off the road. The whole incident was caught on tape and police identified the vehicle and driver.
The suspect was arrested, and thankfully, the motorcyclist did not suffer any severe injuries. This extreme case of road rage is irregular; however, road rage involved accidents happen daily.
The number of accidents caused by road rage is steadily increasing at a rate of 7% each year. Data gathered by Safemotorist.com indicates that 66% of recent traffic fatalities can be linked to aggressive driving. Every year about thirty (30) murders are linked to road rage.
So, what can be done; it starts with each driver choosing to moderate their response to what they perceive as bad driving on the part of other drivers. If someone cuts you off chances are it was probably a mistake and even if it wasn’t it is not worth getting into a rage. Responses such as blaring the horn, flashing your lights, shouting or reacting with aggressive driving will escalate the situation. Instead, shake it off and try to avoid the driver.
Law enforcement can help by pulling drivers over for aggressive driving. Consistent tailgating and weaving in and out of traffic certainly call for police intervention. In addition, public service announcements on TV and radio along with street signs cautioning people against road rage bring awareness to this increasing danger. Together we can all help in cutting down episodes of road rage and resulting accidents and deaths.
If you or a loved one are involved in an accident involving road rage, you should immediately contact a Board-Certified Civil Trial Attorney who specializes in accident cases.
