Road rage accidents in Montgomery, Alabama, aren’t all that uncommon. In fact, Alabama drivers rank sixth in the nation for confrontational and aggressive driving practices – like speeding, driving other motorists off the road, and weaving in and out of lanes of traffic.
When a driver suffers from road rage, they forget about their primary responsibility: to drive cautiously and get from one place to another without causing harm to themselves or others. Rage can cloud a driver’s judgment and cause them to engage in aggressive tactics at the wheel and, in turn, cause serious traffic accidents in which people are seriously injured or killed. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) estimates that two-thirds of all traffic accident fatalities are caused by aggressive drivers - many of whom suffer from road rage.
After you’ve been involved in a road rage car accident, don’t hesitate to call the Montgomery personal injury lawyers at Singleton Schreiber for a free consultation. You have rights as the victim of another driver’s mistakes, and our experienced Montgomery car accident lawyers can help you fight to hold them accountable.
Are Aggressive Driving and Road Rage the Same Thing?
No. Road rage refers to a driver’s state of mind and attitude. Road rage is generally used to refer to a driver’s anger, irritability, and aggression. A driver’s road rage can be caused by a number of different factors, some related to the traffic they’re facing and some related to personal or professional matters.
Aggressive driving is often a result of road rage.
When a driver’s road rage becomes too much, they can begin to engage in dangerous and careless behavior at the wheel, including:
- Speeding
- Weaving in and out of lanes of traffic
- Driving the wrong way down a one-way street
- Overtaking a slow-moving vehicle by driving on the wrong side of the road or in a shoulder
- Brake-checking other drivers
- Tailgating
- Running red lights or stop signs
- Failing to yield the right of way
- Refusing to allow other vehicles to merge into traffic
Drivers who are experiencing road rage might flash their headlights at other drivers, honk their horn multiple times, make rude or obscene gestures, yell at or threaten other motorists, or even attempt to run other drivers off the road.
How Can I Get Compensation If I’m Injured Because of a Driver With Road Rage?
Just because a driver suffers from road rage and is involved in a car accident doesn’t automatically mean that they’re going to be liable. The driver’s road rage must have contributed to that car accident in some way.
Ultimately, you’ll need to prove that the driver’s rage caused them to become distracted or engage in such careless behavior at the wheel that they caused your collision.
If you can prove this, you may be able to compel the insurance company of that driver to pay for your damages. In Alabama, car accident victims are entitled to seek compensatory damages - including money for objective financial losses (economic damages) and more subjective pain and suffering (non-economic damages).
A successful legal claim could help you get money for:
- Medical bills
- Wage loss
- Disability
- Reduced earning capacity
- Property damage
- Out-of-pocket expenses
- Rehabilitation
- Emotional distress
- Reduced quality of life
- Post-traumatic stress disorder
- Inconvenience
- Chronic physical pain
- Disfigurement and scarring
Punitive damages can be awarded exclusively in wrongful death cases if a road rage car accident is fatal. In these situations, the law's aim is to punish a driver for extreme acts of road rage and to deter similar actions in the future.
What Evidence Can Help Me Prove That Another Driver’s Road Rage Caused My Car Accident?
So, how do you prove that another driver’s road rage caused your car accident in Montgomery?
Several pieces of evidence can potentially help you build a strong legal claim:
- Video recordings from dash cams, cell phones, residential cameras, and red light cameras that capture the driver’s aggressive behavior in action
- Property damage and forensics reports
- Eyewitness statements
- Photographs of the scene of the accident and damaged property
- Accident reports
- Cell phone records
- Social media posts from before, during, or after the crash that might help to demonstrate how or why the driver was enraged
- Forensics reports
- Expert testimony from accident reconstruction professionals, psychologists, medical professionals, and other specialists
The more evidence you have to demonstrate that the other driver was suffering from road rage and that the road rage manifested as careless or reckless driving that caused your accident, the more likely it is that you’ll be able to recover compensation to help you get your life back on track.
When Should I Call an Alabama Car Accident Attorney After a Road Rage Accident?
As soon as you can. Not only are most car accident claims in Alabama subject to a two-year statute of limitations, but there’s a lot of value in getting a jump-start on your personal injury case.
The sooner you call a Montgomery car accident attorney for help, the sooner we can begin to investigate your case, preserve and gather valuable pieces of evidence, and start working to build a strong legal claim that yields the kind of case results you deserve.
Car accident victims in Alabama turn to Singleton Schreiber because we’re award-winning litigators with a multi-million dollar track record of success who actually care about our clients. We’re local litigators who can draw on our law firm’s national resources, which means you get personalized, powerful representation when you need it the most.
Our in-depth knowledge of Alabama car accident law and hands-on experience litigating road rage accident cases like yours can make a huge difference in your fight for compensation. We’ll be there to handle all aspects of your case, giving you the time you need to rest, recover, and put the pieces of your life back together.
We offer a free consultation, so contact our Montgomery law office to speak with a member of our team about your road rage car accident today. We’re here to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
