It is not the easiest to stay calm while driving on America’s roads, as being behind the wheel can be quite stressful. More importantly, engaging in road rage with another driver — regardless of who started the dispute — will only increase the risk of a serious car crash between the parties. According to a Pew Research Study, law enforcement are scrambling to deal with road rage incidents, which have been on the rise since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Road Rage Explained
When drivers are operating their vehicles in a manner that is aggressive, which can include acts that are violent, provocative, or threatening, that is road rage. In fact, road rage incidents can be quite frightening because many times they do not just include dangerous driving but a weapon is also involved. Research shows that more than one-third of road rage incidents reported each year involved a weapon.
Road rage incidents often begin with a minor traffic offense or fender bender, according to law enforcement. The drivers initially argue about who was to blame (or who offended) and then the situation quickly escalates. Many times, however, road rage incidents happen due to speeding, tailgating, cutting other drivers off, weaving through traffic, and other aggressive driving tactics. Upset drivers may respond by flashing an obscene gesture or yelling and it stops there. Other times, however, drivers ram or sideswipe other cars, throw objects, force a vehicle off the road or even pull out a weapon.
Road Rage Incidents Across America
Unfortunately, there are many examples of road rage across the country. The results are tragic for the victims of road rage and their families.
- Las Vegas, NV: an SUV cut off a Jeep driven by a 73-year-old man causing him to honk the horn, which resulted in the other driver getting out and throwing a beer can at the Jeep. The Jeep’s driver then stepped out as well and the two men argued. The SUV driver jumped in his car and ran over the elderly man, who was a retired Navy officer; he died the next morning from his injuries;
- Orange County, CA: A 6-year-old boy was shot and killed while his mother was driving him to kindergarten after she held up her middle finger to the driver of a car who cut her off. One of the passengers got upset, grabbed a gun and shot into the back of her car, striking her son who was sitting in a booster seat;
- Washington, DC: After a woman driving a coupe sideswiped a man’s SUV, the two drivers began to argue and then continued on their way. The woman then pulled in front of the man’s car, got out a gun, and shot him in the head–killing the 49-year-old;
- Lumberton, NC: A 47-year-old mother of six was fatally shot while riding in the passenger seat with her husband when their SUV came close to another car during a lane merge, angering the other driver who fired multiple shots into the passenger door. The couple was on their way to the beach to celebrate their wedding anniversary.
Contact Las Vegas Attorneys
If you were involved in a road rage incident where the other driver was full of rage and acted irresponsibly and recklessly, you may have a claim for compensation if damages resulted. To learn more about your rights under Nevada law, contact the skilled personal injury attorneys at H&P Law today.
