Road Rage Accidents in Albuquerque

If you’ve been injured in a car accident in Albuquerque, New Mexico, because another driver was suffering from road rage, call Singleton Schreiber. Road rage accidents in Albuquerque can be avoided, and the drivers who lose control have to be held accountable for the injuries and suffering they cause. 

Our experienced Albuquerque car accident attorneys are ready to help you fight for the financial accountability you deserve.

Contact our New Mexico law office in Albuquerque to learn more about your legal rights. We’re available to take your call, answer your questions, and schedule a free consultation now.

What Is Road Rage?

Road rage refers to a driver’s uncontrolled anger or frustration at the wheel, which often manifests in aggressive driving behaviors.

Common acts of road rage include:

• Weaving in and out of lanes of traffic aggressively
• Making unsafe or illegal lane changes
• Overtaking another vehicle improperly
• Cutting off other vehicles 
• Tailgating
• Brake-checking other drivers
• Speeding

Drivers who suffer from road rage might make obscene gestures to or yell and spew expletives at other motorists on the road.

Road rage can stem from traffic-related factors, including:

• Getting stuck behind a slow-moving vehicle while you’re running late or in a rush
• Another driver riding your bumper
• Another driver refusing to let you merge into traffic
• Perceived slights from other drivers

About half of all drivers who encounter a driver suffering from road rage and aggressive driving practices will respond similarly.

Things from a driver’s personal life or work life can also cause them to be agitated, irritated, and more predisposed to suffer from road rage and engage in aggressive driving behaviors, too. Many times, road rage manifests for multiple reasons. 

How Common is Road Rage?

Road rage is incredibly common. One study found that 96 percent of drivers surveyed stated that they’d witnessed an act of road rage in the six months prior. Another study found that one-third of survey participants admitted to suffering from road rage themselves.

However, road rage doesn’t always lead to traffic accidents. Research suggests that only about two percent of “road rage incidents” cause serious traffic accidents, injuries, or deaths.

When drivers suffering from road rage also engage in aggressive driving behaviors, tragic accidents become much more common. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, aggressive driving causes about two-thirds of all traffic accident fatalities across the nation.

In one seven-year period, at least 12,610 injuries and 218 deaths could be attributed to road rage. 

Can I Sue Another Driver If Their Road Rage Caused a Car Accident?

Yes. If a driver’s road rage makes them unsafe at the wheel and their actions contribute to a car accident in which you’re injured or suffer the wrongful death of a family member, you can sue them for your damages.

Your car accident claim would have to prove that the driver’s road rage caused them to be negligent, which led to your injuries or, alternatively, that the driver intended to cause the accident in which you were injured because they were so enraged.

If you can prove your claim by a preponderance of the evidence – meaning that your allegations are more likely true than not – you can force the road rage driver and/or their insurance company to compensate you for things like:

• Current and future medical bills
• Lost wages and job benefits
• Disability
• Damage to your vehicle and other personal property
• Out-of-pocket expenses, such as a rental car or travel and lodging for medical care
• Rehabilitation
• Pain and suffering
• Loss of enjoyment of life
• Disfigurement and scarring
• Inconvenience
• Emotional distress
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

Under New Mexico’s pure comparative negligence rule, you can seek damages from anyone who contributed to your road rage car accident. This means that if someone other than the road rage driver caused your car accident and injuries, you can hold them accountable for some of your damages, too. At the same time, your ability to recover compensation can be reduced if you share blame, too. If you respond to the driver’s aggressive tactics with some of your own, it can potentially limit your financial recovery.

The road rage driver might try to blame you for the accident, even when those allegations aren’t based in fact or supported by evidence. If you don’t anticipate these tactics and have a plan to fight back, you could watch well-deserved compensation slip away. Protect yourself by hiring an experienced New Mexico car accident attorney in Albuquerque to advocate for you.

How Can a Car Accident Attorney Help Me After a Road Rage Accident in Albuquerque, NM?

Even though you have the right to sue the driver who was suffering from road rage, the path to a meaningful financial recovery won’t necessarily be easy. The driver’s insurance company will work hard to disprove your claim and stand between you and the money you deserve.

That’s why victims of road rage accidents in Albuquerque turn to Singleton Schreiber during these difficult times.

Our Albuquerque personal injury lawyers have decades of combined experience taking on powerful insurance companies and negligent drivers.

We can bring the kind of resources, insight, knowledge, and passion that will be needed to help you win your case and maximize your recovery. Count on us to:

• Investigate your road rage accident
• Gather critical evidence, including dash cam footage, social media posts, cell phone records, photographs, medical records, and eyewitness statements
• Enlist expert witnesses to help us build a strong and winning legal claim for damages
• Represent you during negotiations with the road rage driver’s insurance company
• Protect you against claims of contributory fault
• Take the road rage driver to court, if necessary

Barring any exceptions, you’ll only have three years from the date of your road rage accident to pursue compensation. The sooner you contact our car accident attorneys, the sooner we can begin fighting for the monetary award you deserve.

As fearless advocates for justice, we’ve helped local New Mexico clients win millions in settlements and jury awards. Across the nation, our law firm has secured more than $3 billion in damages. Now, we’re ready to fight for you after a road rage accident in Albuquerque, too. Contact us to schedule your free consultation today.