subject: Road Rage As A Serious Road Hazard [print this page] Road rage is an extreme form of aggressive driving that is causing accidents not only on the streets of Los Angeles but the whole United States.
Road rage refers to the angry and aggressive behavior of a motorist driving a car or any other vehicle.
It is considered a road hazard that can lead to altercations, violence, crashes and collisions.
This could in turn lead to minor to serious injuries and even death.
Signs of Road Rage
The following are the most common signs of road rage:
Rude gestures like flashing the finger to other drivers
Shouting verbal threats and obscenities or committing verbal abuse
Excessive sounding of the cars horns
Excessive flashing of car lights
Spitting
Throwing objects to another vehicle with the intent to damage or harm
Threatening to use or using deadly weapons such as guns and firearms
Exiting the vehicle to confront the other driver with the intent to chastise or harm
Cutting other vehicles off the lane or intentionally preventing another vehicle from merging
Deliberately causing a collision with another vehicle
General acts of aggressive driving like sudden braking or acceleration, and tailgating
The AAA foundation reports that there are about 1,200 incidents of road rage very year in the US and it results to about 300 injuries and fatalities.
California Road Rage and Aggressive Driving Law
A 2007 study showed that Los Angeles is included in the cities where road rage is common. Other cities included are Phoenix, Miami, Boston and New York.
In contrast, cities like Nashville, Atlanta and Seattle see very little road rage cases.
California has no specific laws dealing with road rage and aggressive driving per se, but the state made amendments to existing reckless driving laws to cover these infractions.
The California state also considers road rage as a criminal assault it the motor vehicle is used against another vehicle, a bicycle or a pedestrian.
The state laws are especially strict if the road rage incident resulted in bodily injuries to other people.
It is also specifically hard on road rage drivers who engage in speed contests on highways.
The following are the possible penalties for road rage and aggressive driving:
For a first offense, the road rage drivers license may be suspended up to 6 months. The courts also have the option to either convert the suspension or add to the suspension a requirement to complete a court approved course on road rage or anger management.
Since road rage is considered a criminal assault, the driver may be fined up to the amount of $10,000.
Aside from the fine, the driver may also be sent in state prison for 2, 3, or 4 years or not more than one year in a county jail.
If you have been injured in a road rage incident, you may be entitled to some compensation from the insurance company of the aggressive driver.
Be sure to consult with an expert car accident attorney to help you in your case.
