Dallas Driving Injury Attorneys

Aggressive driving on the part of other drivers is a major concern for motorists in Texas and across the country. A recent survey conducted by ABC News and the Washington Post revealed that 32 percent of individuals who responded considered aggressive driving to be the No. 1 threat, presenting the most danger to their own safety on the road.

If you have been injured in an accident caused by an aggressive driver, you know just how dangerous this behavior can be. Your life may be forever changed by the careless and reckless actions of another driver.

You may be entitled to compensation for your losses related to a crash caused by an aggressive driver. You should seek legal advice immediately – before you discuss the matter with an insurance adjuster and before you sign anything.

Let the law offices of Kraft & Associates, P.C., advise you about your rights after a car accident caused by aggressive driving or road rage. We’re an established and professional law firm with friendly lawyers and staff who are easy to talk to. Please contact us today.

What Is Aggressive Driving?

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) defines aggressive driving as when “an individual commits a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property.” This type of dangerous driving may involve:

• Speeding.
• Tailgating.
• Frequent, erratic and unsafe lane changes.
• Running red lights.
• Failing to obey stop signs, yield signs and other traffic signals.
• Driving illegally on the shoulder, median or sidewalk.
• Passing in zones where passing is prohibited.
• Failing to signal turns or lane changes.
• Ignoring signals from other drivers.
• Failing to yield right of way.
• Driving in an erratic, reckless or negligent manner.
• Taking out frustrations on other motorists.

Aggressive Driving and Road Rage

Aggressive driving may sometimes escalate to road rage. Road rage is defined by the National Safety Council (NSC) as “a physical assault of a person or vehicle as a result of a traffic incident.” It involves using a vehicle as a weapon with the intention of doing harm to others or their property.

The American Safety Council provides the following statistics about road rage:

• Road rage is most likely exhibited by young males.
• Firearms are involved in 37 percent of all road rage incidents.
• Half of the drivers on the receiving end of road rage behavior respond with aggressive behavior in turn.
• 12,610 injuries and 218 murders over a 7-year period were attributed to road rage.

If you encounter an angry driver on the road, the National Safety Council (NSC) advises that you:

• Get out of the way and give the angry driver plenty of room.
• Avoid eye contact.
• Refrain from making any rude hand or facial gestures.
• Call 911 if you are worried about your safety.

Aggressive Driving Accidents

As reported by the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, 106,727 fatal crashes – 55.7 percent of the total – during a recent four-year period involved drivers who committed one or more aggressive driving actions. The most common aggressive driving actions that contributed to the accidents were:

• Speeding.
• Failure to yield the right of way.
• Careless, erratic or reckless driving.
• Failure to obey traffic signals or signs.
• Improper turns.
• Improper passing.
• Improper following (tailgating).

Aggressive driving was also a factor in many non-fatal accidents that caused serious injuries.

Speeding Causes Accidents

The Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) reports that nearly one-third of all traffic fatalities are speed-related. According to a GHSA survey, 10,530 people died as a result of speed-related car accidents in 2010, and speed continues to be a major contributing factor in fatal crashes and crashes that cause injuries.

The estimated cost of speed-related traffic accidents is $40.4 billion per year, the NSC reports. That breaks down to $76,865 per minute and $1,281 every second of every day.

Speeding gives drivers less opportunity to react in dangerous situations. It reduces the ability to steer safely around curves and objects in the road. It increases the force of impact in the event of an accident. More than 10,000 people died in speed-related crashes in one recent year, with speed contributing to 30 percent of all fatal crashes, the NSC says.

Legal Help for Aggressive Driving Accident Victims

If you have been injured in an accident caused by someone who was speeding or engaging in any type of aggressive driving, it is essential to consult with a knowledgeable accident attorney. At Kraft & Associates, P.C., our lawyers have successfully handled thousands of car accident cases.

Our firm can thoroughly evaluate the facts and evidence in your case and work with investigators to establish that another driver’s aggressive behavior caused the accident and the injuries that resulted from it. Our goal is to obtain fair compensation for victims of aggressive driving accidents through negotiation or, if necessary, through litigation.

There are deadlines for filing a car accident claim, so it is important that you meet with an attorney as soon as possible to evaluate your case. For a free assessment, contact us today.

Sources:

• AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety – Aggressive Driving: Research Update
• National Safety Council – Our Driving Concern: Aggressive Driving
• American Safety Council – Aggressive Driving and Road Rage
• Governors Highway Safety Association – Speeding and Aggressive Driving