Road rage. Aggressive driving. Violent driving. What is it exactly? As many drivers may note, they know it when they see it. And, for Florida drivers, they likely see it all too often.
Just recently, a Tampa driver, tired of being cut off by other drivers on the road, drove his Ford Mustang into 11 other vehicles on a 3.5 mile stretch of road. The aggressive driver felt that others were trying to run him off the road and claimed he was just defending himself. When one of the drivers stopped to see if he was ok, the driver of the Mustang just started yelling and threatening to fight with everyone around.
This may or may not be an extreme case. No one was severely injured and the driver was taken into police custody. But the fact remains that the driver caused 11 car accidents intentionally, because he was angry while behind the wheel. Tampa car accident lawyers help victims of road rage and aggressive driving hold drivers accountable for their actions. If you feel threatened by a violent driver, you should call the police. If you've been injured by a violent driver, you should call a Florida car accident lawyer.
What is Road Rage? Aggressive Driving?
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) encourages each state to define aggressive driving in its own terms, consistent with state law. However, NHTSA provides this basic definition of aggressive driving as "when individuals commit a combination of moving traffic offenses so as to endanger other persons or property."
Aggressive driving can include speeding, tailgating, weaving in or out of traffic and not obeying traffic signals such as red lights or stop signs. AAA reports that aggressive driving is a factor in 56 percent of all motor vehicle crashes nationwide.
The NHTSA also differentiates between aggressive driving and road rage (a criminal offense). Road rage is "an assault with a motor vehicle or other dangerous weapon by the operator or passenger(s) of one motor vehicle on the operator or passenger(s) of another motor vehicle or is caused by an incident that occurred on a roadway."
However you break it down, when a driver threatens others on the road with violent behavior while behind the wheel, he or she is putting everyone else at risk of serious injury if a motor vehicle accident results.
St. Petersburg Police Department Joins the Fight Against Aggressive Drivers
The St. Petersburg police created a 3-E's program to help combat aggressive driving and prevent related accidents. The 3-E's are Enforcement, Education and Engineering. Through a mix of improving enforcement of traffic laws, educating the public about the dangers and warning signs of aggressive driving and reexamining the engineering of roadways and signage, the department is targeting aggressive driving in and around St. Petersburg.
Injuries that are caused by someone simply losing it behind the wheel are preventable. They can be stopped by stopping the triggers of aggressive driving and stopping the act of aggressive driving. A car accident attorney in your area can help you and your family if you've been a victim of aggressive driving or road rage on the highways and byways criss-crossing the U.S.
