Road Rage Car Accidents- Different Things You Need To Know
While all kinds of car accidents are dangerous, road rage accidents can be particularly devastating. Road rage often emerges from aggressive driving and involves speeding, running red lights, using foul language, and tailgating. When a speeding car hits another vehicle or pedestrian, the damages can be disastrous due to the extent of the force.
It is normal to feel helpless when you are faced with such a condition. It is critical to speak with a Lehi, UT car accident lawyer to help file a claim and get the compensation you deserve. Below are a few things that you need to know about road rage car accidents.
- Road rage does not only involve car accidents.
Road rage constitutes yelling, tailgating, verbally abusing other drivers, police officers, or pedestrians, blocking other cars, and hitting a vehicle intentionally because of anger.
- Road rage accidents are common.
You might think nobody would want to intentionally create a scene or accident in the middle of the road. However, you may be wrong. Road rage accidents are common in the United States. In fact, according to the AAA, road rage causes about 30 deaths and 1,800 injuries every year. You may find it surprising that more than 50% of drivers have admitted tailgating, and 25% admit they intentionally cut off other drivers.
- You need to meet your state’s injury threshold for filing a claim.
In all car accident cases and not just in road rage ones, the victim must prove that their injury meets the state’s “serious injury” threshold for compensation. If the enraged driver had only yelled at you, you could not expect to get hundreds and thousands of dollars. Your attorney can assist you in gathering evidence of your injuries and prove that they are significant enough to be compensated.
- You can report a driver even if they have not physically harmed you.
As we have stated above, road rage can take many forms. Some drivers may not hit you physically, but they may be showing signs of aggressive driving or behavior. To protect yourself from further violence, you can report the driver to the local authorities. Make sure you note down the vehicle’s number plate, color and model before making the call.
- You have limited time for filing your road rage car accident claim.
If you are slow at making decisions, you may want to change your habit when it comes to filing a compensation claim. The Utah statute of limitations mentions that you must file the claim within four years of the accident. However, it is essential to report the incident and file an FIR at your local police station as soon as possible.