Although negligence and distracted driving are the two leading causes of
car accidents in Florida, road rage ranks high on the list. In fact, Florida has been
named the road rage capital of the United States for three years in a
row, according to a Road Rage Survey by AutoVantage.
Road rage—also known as aggressive driving—is defined as aggressive
or violent behavior as a reaction to another driver’s actions on
the road. According to a 2019 survey conducted by the AAA Foundation for
Traffic Safety, nearly 80 percent of all drivers admit to experiencing
road rage, extreme anger, or aggression while on the road within the last
month alone, while 78 percent admit to engaging in such behavior themselves.
The following are some common examples of road rage:
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Yelling or screaming profanities with the windows rolled down
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Rude or inflammatory gestures
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Honking the horn profusely
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Tailgating
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Speeding in heavy traffic
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Cutting off another driver
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Weaving in and out of different traffic lanes
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Using the brakes or headlights to harass or intimidate another driver
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Bumping, sideswiping, or otherwise striking another vehicle
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Forcing another vehicle off the road
Studies show that younger drivers who are 19 years of age or younger are
over four times more likely to engage in aggressive driving compared to
older motorists. Road rage incidents often occur at the end of the week
during the summer months and into October. Rush hour traffic generally
results in the most instances of road rage in comparison to any time of the day.
The following are several steps you can take to prevent road rage:
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Be a defensive driver
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Leave a good amount of space between you and the vehicle in front of you
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Do not rush and give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination
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Refrain from other driver’s poor or aggressive driving behaviors
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Listen to soothing music while you drive
If you are involved in a crash caused by road rage and the other driver
fails to cooperate with the accident procedures, contact the police and
write down his/her driver’s license before he attempts to flee the
scene. Try to capture photos or videos of the driver, his/her vehicle,
and any other evidence of road rage.
If you have been injured in a car accident caused by an angry driver in
Tampa Bay, call
Paulsen Law Group or fill our
online contact form today to request a free initial consultation. Our legal team has more
than 15 years of personal injury experience!