A 4,000-pound motor vehicle can become a deadly weapon in the hands of an aggressive driver who shows disregard for the safety of others. Behaviors such as excessive speeding, running traffic signs, tailgating, and unsafe passing increase the risk of a collision, and they can make the consequences of a collision much more severe. Aggressive driving goes beyond making a single mistake. It’s a pattern of behavior that puts everyone on the road at risk.
If you’ve been injured in a car accident caused by an aggressive driver, you might have the right to hold the driver financially accountable for the harm you suffered. If so, you may seek the financial compensation needed to rebuild your life. You should not be responsible for the medical bills and other losses caused by another driver.
The Kentucky lawyers with Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer represent people harmed by aggressive drivers. Our Kentucky Courage attorneys are known for standing up to big insurance companies. After a car accident involving serious injuries, contact a car accident attorney for a free case evaluation. Put some Kentucky Courage in your corner today.
Common Examples of Aggressive Driving
According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, aggressive driving is any unsafe driving behavior done deliberately and disregarding common safety. That can include:
- Tailgating: This happens when a driver follows another car too closely to intimidate the driver in front into moving over. Following too closely can cause a rear-end accident. A tailgating driver does not have enough space to stop safely if the car in front suddenly brakes.
- Speeding and Weaving Through Traffic: Drivers who drive much faster than the speed limit and zigzag between lanes of traffic show disregard for safety. Their unpredictable and reckless behavior can catch other drivers off guard, leading to crashes. High speeds increase the severity of a car crash.
- Excessive or Unsafe Lane Changes: Repeated lane changes or passing without signaling is dangerous. It is unpredictable and doesn’t give other drivers enough time to react.
- Running Red Lights or Stop Signs: Willfully disregarding traffic signs and running red lights is a clear sign of aggressive driving. Entering intersections when others have the right of way can cause an accident.
- Blocking Other Cars from Passing: Some drivers intentionally prevent others from overtaking them. This can cause those drivers to become frustrated and make risky maneuvers of their own, escalating an already high-risk situation.
- Honking Excessively, Flashing Lights, or Making Rude Gestures: These actions are often made in a threatening manner to intimidate or express anger toward other drivers and provoke confrontations.
The Kentucky Office of Highway Safety notes that over a third of all crashes and two-thirds of fatal crashes involve aggressive driving behaviors. Aggressive driving is not an isolated incident but rather a pattern of repeated behavior.
The Difference Between Aggressive Driving and Road Rage
When discussing unsafe driving behaviors on the road, it’s important to distinguish between aggressive driving and road rage. While they might seem similar, there’s a significant difference in severity between the two.
Aggressive driving is characterized by a series of dangerous driving actions, such as speeding, weaving through traffic, and running red lights. These behaviors stem from carelessness or a desire to save time at the expense of others rather than an intent to harm. Aggressive driving is risky and can lead to accidents, but it doesn’t usually involve personal confrontations.
Road rage, on the other hand, is when anger escalates to the point of violent intentions or threatening actions. This could include provoking a confrontation, intentionally damaging another person’s car, or even physically assaulting someone. Road rage involves deliberate harm or intent to harm, and an incident may involve criminal offenses.
Aggressive driving can intensify into road rage under certain conditions. For example, when an aggressive driver tailgates or makes unsafe lane changes, the targeted driver might respond angrily. If both parties lose control of their emotions, the situation can quickly escalate from aggressive driving to road rage.
Why Aggressive Driving is Dangerous?
Aggressive driving is dangerous in many different ways. First, it involves behaviors that increase the likelihood of car accidents. Other motorists have less time to react to sudden changes or guess what an unpredictable driver will do next. If an aggressive driver suddenly changes lanes without signaling, other drivers might have to brake abruptly or swerve, potentially causing a car accident.
Aggressive driving often triggers similar behavior in others. It’s not uncommon for one aggressive driver to set off a domino effect, leading to an escalating chain reaction of aggressive behavior among multiple drivers and one or more car accidents. This can amplify the risk of accidents as more drivers engage in risky maneuvers.
Aggressive driving contributes to an atmosphere of fear and hostility on the road. When drivers are tense or afraid, they’re more likely to make mistakes, which can further increase the risk of accidents. It’s important to remain calm and not to respond to any provocations.
Aggressive driving is one of the most common causes of car accidents. If you have been injured in a car crash by a negligent driver in Kentucky, you should discuss the appropriate steps to take with an experienced accident attorney.
Legal Ramifications of Aggressive Driving
Kentucky has laws to address aggressive driving and road rage, with the goal of encouraging road safety. Drivers who disregard highway safety can be held accountable for their behavior. The state penalizes speeding, tailgating, and other aggressive actions through traffic citations that can include fines and points on the driver’s license. Accumulating 12 points (or seven points for drivers under 18) within a two-year period can result in license suspension.
For example, a driver who causes an accident by committing a moving violation (six points) while driving 20 mph over the speed limit (also six points) could have their license temporarily taken away.
Drivers may face criminal charges in more severe cases, particularly those involving road rage where there is evidence of extreme recklessness or assault. Kentucky law categorizes actions such as intentionally hitting another vehicle, engaging in a physical confrontation, or using a vehicle to threaten or cause harm to others as criminal offenses. These actions can lead to charges ranging from misdemeanor to felony, depending on the severity of the behavior and the resulting harm.
Furthermore, the victims of aggressive driving or road rage incidents in Kentucky have the right to pursue civil action against the offending driver and demand compensation for the following types of losses:
- Medical expenses
- Lost wages
- Diminished earning potential
- Pain and suffering
- Mental distress
Drivers in Kentucky must understand their rights if they are injured in aggressive driving accidents. Obeying traffic laws and maintaining a calm demeanor on the road can help prevent accidents and avoid legal consequences.
What to Do if You Encounter an Aggressive Driver?
Unfortunately, there’s no way to avoid aggressive drivers entirely. It’s important to know what to do if you encounter one. Taking the following steps can protect your well-being and your legal rights:
1. Prioritize your safety
Do not engage with the aggressive driver. Instead, attempt to de-escalate the situation.
2. Let the aggressive driver pass
Find a safe way to distance yourself from the aggressive driver. If possible, pull to the side of the road.
3. Report the incident to authorities
Alerting the police is especially important if you believe the other driver seems highly dangerous or threatening to others.
4. Document the incident
Anything you can do to document an aggressive driver’s behavior could be useful if they cause a crash. Useful evidence might include dashcam footage, witness accounts, and photos of the scene.
Contact A Car Accident Lawyer Today
If you’ve been injured in a car crash caused by an aggressive driver, you could be owed compensation for the harm you’ve suffered. Let an aggressive driving accident lawyer with Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer protect your rights by:
- Investigating the incident and recovering evidence of the other driver’s aggressive behavior
- Reviewing available insurance policies and other potential sources of compensation
- Calculating the dollar cost of the harm you’ve sustained and will likely suffer in the future
- Sending demand letters informing liable parties of the facts and outlining your right to compensation
- Negotiating for a fair out-of-court settlement
- Taking your case to court if the other side refuses to cooperate
The attorneys at Morgan, Collins, Yeast & Salyer stand up for injured people who have been harmed in car accidents through no fault of their own. We will handle your personal injury case without charging you any upfront fees. We only get paid a legal fee if we obtain a settlement or court award for you. Contact us today for a free case evaluation with an aggressive driving attorney, and put some Kentucky Courage in your corner.
