There is a disturbing trend that is growing across the United States — an increase in the incidents of road rage. Depending on the severity, road rage can be terrifying and cause serious injuries—sometimes even fatal results—if a crash happens as a result of a road rage incident. While there are certainly civil actions that could be taken against a driver with road rage who causes a crash and injuries to others, the at-fault driver could also face criminal penalties.
Understanding Road Rage
Road rage can take several forms. It may include an exchange of hand signals (the not-so-friendly ones), excessive speeding, tailgating, passing a vehicle and drastically braking in front of it, and even running drivers off of the roadway. All of this aggressive behavior happens due to one driver’s displeasure or anger with another driver who has allegedly offended him or her in some way—whether real or imagined. In extreme road rage incidents, the parties have gotten out of their vehicles and physically assaulted one another.
That being said, the majority of road rage cases do not cause an accident—and, in reality, often go unreported. Unfortunately, some cases of road rage result in serious injuries or even death of one or more individuals involved. According to statistics compiled by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration:
- Aggressive driving contributes to 66% of traffic fatalities;
- As much as 37% of road rage cases involve a firearm;
- About 50% of drivers who are on the receiving end of aggressive behavior admit to responding in the same manner;
- Two percent of drivers admit to trying to run an aggressive driver off of the road; and
- The group most likely to exhibit road rage are males under 19 years of age.
Damages Available to Road Rage Accident Victims
As in any personal injury case, the more evidence supporting the claim and showing the other party was at-fault for the crash that caused harm the better the chance of successfully obtaining monetary compensation. Some examples of relevant evidence regarding a Las Vegas road rage accident include:
- The police report as well as the issuance of a traffic violation;
- Statements from witnesses to the road rage accident;
- Video surveillance of the aggressive behavior prior to the collision from traffic cameras;
- Medical reports detailing treatment for injuries caused by the accident; and
- Photographic evidence of the accident scene and any visible injuries.
Monetary compensation—or damages—available to a Las Vegas road rage accident victim include compensatory and non-compensatory damages. Compensatory damages include payment for medical bills, loss of past and future wages, and property damage. Non-compensatory damages include pain and suffering, loss of enjoyment, loss of companionship, and loss of inheritance. Additionally, a road rage victim may be entitled to punitive damages due to the reckless and intentional behavior of the aggressor driver.
Contact Our Law Firm
Our society is supposed to be a reasonable one in which civility is imposed on all to ensure everyone’s safety. This is particularly true when it comes to driving. When emotions—particularly raging ones—are involved, lack of control can quickly cause devastating results for all involved. A disregard for the safety of others is unacceptable. The Las Vegas personal injury attorneys at Matt Pfau Law Group will pursue all avenues of monetary compensation available to you and your loved ones under the law. Contact us today for your initial case evaluation.
