How Road Rage Occurs, and How to React

Plenty of drivers in South Carolina can say that they were, at one point, the victims of road rage. It often happens that drivers are rushing and do not like how another driver is traveling too slow or has cut them off. They may get the idea that they can start being aggressive because their car protects their identity. In any case, road rage incidents can be dangerous.

Verbal abuse, tailgating and other signs

There are several degrees to road rage. At the lowest level, drivers may verbally abuse others without being heard or intending to be heard. Then, they become more intentional and honk the horn obnoxiously or flash the headlights. They may make an obscene hand gesture.

More seriously, drivers may tailgate, speed up to prevent a car from changing lanes or slow down to annoy someone behind them. Running another car off the road is probably the most extreme kind of road rage incident.

Road rage is a criminal offense

Everyone should be aware that road rage is a punishable offense. In addition to criminal charges, angry drivers who cause a crash may face a personal injury claim. Of course, those who are injured at the hands of an angry driver may not get compensation if they retaliated.

Case evaluation for accident victims

To see if you can pursue a personal injury case after a road rage incident, you may want to consult a lawyer. The lawyer might determine just how much you would be eligible for in compensatory damages, which can include medical bills, vehicle repair costs and pain and suffering. Besides that, you may be able to seek out punitive damages, which go beyond compensation and are meant to punish the defendant. You may have the lawyer negotiate for a settlement.