Road rage can make driving unsafe. It can cause drivers to engage in dangerous, aggressive maneuvers at the wheel and lose sight of what’s important – getting to their destination safely without putting themselves or others in harm’s way. Unfortunately, road rage afflicts millions of drivers and causes countless accidents across the nation every year.
If you’ve been injured in a road rage accident in Jackson, Mississippi, don’t hesitate to call Singleton Schreiber to explore your legal options. As a victim of another driver’s uncontrolled rage and aggressive driving practices, you may have the right to pursue compensation. Our experienced Jackson car accident attorneys can help you fight to maximize your recovery.
Call our Mississippi law office in Jackson to learn more and schedule your free consultation.
What Are Some Common Examples of Road Rage Behaviors?
Road rage, by itself, doesn’t cause car accidents. When a driver’s uncontrolled rage and anger manifest as aggressive driving, that’s when things can (and do) go wrong.
Drivers who suffer from road rage are more likely to:
- Speed
- Make sudden and/or unsafe lane changes
- Tailgate other vehicles
- Use lanes of traffic improperly
- Brake check other vehicles
- Refuse to allow other vehicles to merge into traffic
- Fail to yield the right of way
- Run stop signs and red lights
- Drive the wrong way down the road
Road rage drivers might also make obscene gestures, yell, and exhibit other signs of anger while driving carelessly. When a driver is suffering from road rage, it can be incredibly distracting and cause them to miss changes in traffic patterns and/or react more slowly than usual. All of these things can increase the odds that a driver suffering from road rage causes a car accident in Jackson, MS.
Road Rage Statistics
Road rage is quite common. In fact, in 2024, 96 percent of drivers surveyed said they’d seen an act of road rage in the past six months. One-third of drivers surveyed admitted to having suffered from road rage themselves. According to CNN, road rage incidents have increased by about 500 percent over the past decade.
When a driver suffering from road rage begins to act carelessly or aggressively at the wheel, the chances that they’ll cause a serious injury or death increase significantly. In an average year, about 1,800 people suffer severe physical injuries because of road rage accidents. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that about 300 deaths have been attributed to acts of road rage over the past decade.
About half of all drivers who have an encounter with a driver suffering from road rage tend to respond in kind, lashing out with aggressive maneuvers of their own.
What Causes Road Rage?
Road rage can manifest when a driver is experiencing stressors that are related to or unrelated to traffic.
A driver who’s struggling with personal issues or having problems at work – such as a divorce, fight with a friend, or job loss - can be more prone to aggression, irritability, and anger. Those feelings of anger can worsen if the driver is stuck behind a slow-moving vehicle, flipped off by another unsettled motorist, cut off in traffic, or continually stopped by red lights.
The anger can build and cause them to experience road rage. As the anger and irritation add up, it can boil over and cause the driver to become careless and make the road unsafe.
What Types of Car Accidents Can Road Rage Cause?
Road rage and aggressive driving practices can cause many different types of car accidents, including:
- Rear-end collisions when a driver weaves in and out of lanes of traffic, cuts off another vehicle in heavily congested traffic, follows another vehicle too closely, or brake checks another car
- Frontal crashes when a driver suffering from road rage drives the wrong way down a one-way street or attempts to overtake another vehicle illegally by crossing double yellow traffic lines
- T-Bone accidents when a road rage driver makes an illegal turn or runs a traffic signal at an intersection
- Rollovers if another motorist turns their wheel suddenly to avoid an aggressive driving maneuver
All of these accidents can be violent and leave victims to struggle with serious physical injuries, including spinal cord injuries, burns, amputated limbs, broken bones, and traumatic brain injuries. When someone else’s road rage and aggressive behaviors cause you these kinds of catastrophic injuries, you deserve justice.
Why Should I Hire a Mississippi Car Accident Attorney After a Road Rage Accident in Jackson?
Under Mississippi law, you can sue another driver for a road rage accident if they’re at fault. However, to win your personal injury case, you’ll need to prove that the driver’s road rage caused your car accident.
Getting the evidence and facts you need to prove your case can be challenging, especially when you don’t have the resources to match the powerful insurance company you’ll be up against. Hiring an experienced Jackson car accident attorney can offer the experience, resources, and knowledge you’ll need for success.
At Singleton Schreiber, you’ll be able to count on our personal injury attorneys in Jackson to:
- Independently investigate the circumstances of your car accident
- Gather key evidence that points to the fact that the other driver was suffering from road rage and was aggressive at the wheel, such as video footage, photographs, eyewitness accounts, social media posts, and property damage
- Actively pursue a top-dollar settlement offer during negotiations with the aggressive driver’s insurance company
- Take the road rage driver to court to get you a life-changing verdict, if necessary
Under Mississippi law, you’ll only have a limited time to pursue compensation after your road rage accident. Unless exceptions apply, you have to file your car accident lawsuit within three years of the date of the road rage accident in Jackson.
Now’s the time to take action, so don’t hesitate to contact our Jackson, MS, law office to arrange a free case review. Members of our legal team are always available to help – 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
