If you’ve ever had to share the road with an aggressive or angry driver, you know how unnerving the experience can be. Having to share the road with someone else who isn’t obeying road rules or laws or is simply being discourteous is frustrating at best and dangerous at worst. If you have already been injured in a car accident in Florida because of another person’s reckless driving, you need to take your case seriously and get legal help immediately.
You may even have grounds to pursue a personal injury claim to recover compensation to assist you. A car accident may change the course of your life and you deserve to fight for compensation for your rights.
Study Explores Dangers of Aggressive Driving
A new research study says that those individuals who are aggressive behind the wheel of their car may be at higher risk of being involved in an accident. Even minor forms of aggression like rude gestures, yelling or swearing can increase the risk of the person exhibiting those behaviors being involved in a serious accident. The research study involved nearly 13,000 adults who participated in the project from 2002 to 2009.
Approximately one third of those drivers admitted to engaging in minor acts of aggression. A further 2% also indicated that they had made threats and tried to hurt someone else or damage another car. Those individuals were classified as highly aggressive and were found to be 78% more likely to have a collision, which is the same amount of risk for drinking while operating a car.
Aggressive Drivers Had Higher Rates of Car Accidents
Nearly 8% of the respondents in this research study had been involved in a car accident in the previous year. Individuals who classified themselves as not being aggressive while driving were much less likely to have been involved in collisions at all. If you spot an angry or aggressive driver, it is in your best interests to get away from this particular vehicle. While some individuals may simply be exhibiting a few seconds of frustration, others may take it to the next level and be more likely to stop the vehicle, try to hit your car or to engage in a physical altercation.
These situations can escalate quickly with a wrong person, so it is always a good idea to try to disengage and de-escalate the situation as quickly as possible. If you spot a driver whose aggressive behavior is endangering the lives of that driver or other people on the road, you may need to report this to the police, so that they can weigh in on this aggressive behavior and potentially speak to the person about it.
Unfortunately, many aggressive driving situations will only last a couple of seconds, but this is the same amount of time that takes to be involved in a critical car accident. Unfortunately, after a serious car accident where you have sustained injuries and damage to your vehicle, it is impossible to go back in time and erase those few seconds of aggressive driving behavior. The driver who has caused the accident may only become further inflamed when a crash occurs, blaming you for it or trying to get physical with you in the immediate aftermath the accident. It is important that if you are ever involved in an accident with someone who is unable to control his or her anger, to rely on the police.
If you are not able to communicate with the driver on your own, share your insurance information with the police officer and request that they obtain the same from the other driver. The last thing you need at the scene of a serious car accident in Boca Raton is having to attempt to negotiate with an aggressive driver who simply will not calm down. It is strongly recommended that you maintain your calm and rely on your Boca Raton personal injury attorney to navigate this complicated situation for you.
About Author:
Mr. Corey Leifer established the Leifer Law Firm in 2002, which concentrates solely on personal Injury matters such as auto accidents, wrongful death cases and premises liability. If you have been involved in an accident, do not hesitate to reach out to an experienced Boca Raton personal injury lawyer.