If you spend enough time behind the wheel, you are going to encounter someone who tries to do something stupid while in traffic. Either they cut you off by passing in front of you without signaling, or they follow so close behind you (i.e. tailgating) in order to get you move out of the fast lane. If you don’t budge, or if you honk your horn to express your displeasure, it could turn into something else.
Essentially, the offending driver may try to retaliate by using their car as a weapon, or by getting a gun or something else to take out their frustrations. This type of behavior is called road rage, and it is the manifestation of anger while behind the wheel that can sometimes turn violent.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, a large majority of fatal traffic accidents are attributable to road rage. Even more disturbing, more than a third of road rage incidents involve a gun being brandished or fired.
Given these ominous numbers, the importance of dealing with road rage cannot be overstated. If you feel that you need to exact revenge when someone disrespects you in traffic or almost causes an accident, chances are that you could be subject to road rage. It is critical to deal with these feelings because the legal and financial repercussions could be serious and irreparable.
If you have been a victim of road rage, you are entitled to seek compensation for the injuries and damages sustained in an accident.