Long Beach Aggressive Driving Accident Attorney
Injured in a Crash with an Aggressive Driver in Long Beach?
In this ever-complicating world we live in, everything feels important and fast; people are often in a rush to get to where they are going. Unfortunately, this can sometimes lead to aggressive driving caused by impatience and lack of consideration. Aggressive driving has become a massive problem on California roads, and Long Beach is no exception. This style of driving endangers other drivers and puts them at risk by creating unsafe road conditions.
If you have fallen victim to an accident caused by an aggressive driver in Long Beach, there are avenues you can pursue to ensure you get full and fair compensation for your injuries. You shouldn’t have to pay the price for a split second of someone else’s irrational rage. Get in touch with The Law Firm of Joseph H. Low IV to speak with an experienced Long Beach car accident attorney who can fight for the justice you deserve. Call (562) 901-0840 to schedule a free consultation today.
Understanding Aggressive Driving
Aggressive driving poses significant risks to both the driver engaging in such behaviors and other road users. It refers to any combination of dangerous driving behaviors that put people or property at risk. Here are a few examples of these dangerous behaviors:
- Tailgating: Tailgating is the act of driving too closely behind another vehicle. This behavior reduces reaction time and increases the risk of rear-end collisions, especially if the leading vehicle suddenly brakes or encounters an obstacle. Tailgating also creates anxiety and stress for the driver being followed closely, potentially leading to further dangerous maneuvers.
- Excessive speeding: Excessive speeding involves driving at speeds significantly above the posted limit or too fast for road conditions. High speeds reduce the driver’s ability to react to unexpected events, lengthen stopping distances, and increase the severity of crashes. It also reduces the effectiveness of safety features like seat belts and airbags.
- Road rage: Road rage refers to a driver’s extreme anger or aggressive behavior in response to a traffic incident or perceived wrongdoing by another driver. This can escalate quickly and lead to dangerous confrontations, physical altercations, or even intentional collisions. Road rage impairs judgment and can result in serious injury or death.
- Reckless overtaking: Reckless overtaking occurs when a driver passes another vehicle in a dangerous or illegal manner. This could involve overtaking on blind curves, in no-passing zones, or without sufficient space between vehicles. Reckless overtaking increases the risk of head-on collisions, side-swipe accidents, and run-off-road crashes.
- Failure to yield: Failure to yield happens when a driver does not give the right of way to other vehicles or pedestrians as required by traffic laws. This can lead to collisions at intersections, pedestrian accidents, or incidents on highways where merging is required. Failure to yield often results from aggressive or impatient driving behavior and it can cause significant harm to others on the road.
When Aggressive Driving Turns Into Road Rage
Road rage involves extreme hostility or aggressive actions triggered by traffic incidents or perceived infractions by other drivers. This hostility can escalate rapidly, leading to violent altercations, intentional collisions, or even fatalities. Road rage compromises rational decision-making and endangers everyone on the road.
Recognizing road rage involves observing signs such as aggressive gestures, excessive honking, or verbal confrontations. Drivers exhibiting these behaviors display heightened emotional responses, disregard for traffic laws, and a propensity for confrontations.
The consequences of road rage can be severe, ranging from legal repercussions to physical harm or death. Collisions resulting from road rage can cause significant damage to vehicles and property, as well as lifelong injuries or fatalities for those involved.
Common Reckless Driving Habits
Reckless driving encompasses behaviors such as excessive speeding, tailgating, and aggressive lane changes. These actions disregard safety and increase the likelihood of accidents, injuries, and fatalities on the road:
- Distracted driving: Distracted driving, often exacerbated by mobile devices, diverts attention from the road and impairs reaction times. This increases the risk of accidents and contributes to aggressive behaviors such as sudden lane changes or failure to yield.
- Aggressive lane changes: Aggressive lane changes involve abrupt maneuvers without signaling or regard for other drivers. These actions disrupt traffic flow, heighten tensions, and escalate conflicts, leading to potential accidents or road rage incidents.
One of the most dangerous things a driver can do is run a red light. Running a red light is a blatant violation of traffic laws that severely endangers everyone on the road, as well as those crossing the street. It increases the risk of T-bone collisions, pedestrian accidents, and side-swipe collisions, often resulting in catastrophic injuries or fatalities.
Spotting an Aggressive Driver
Most of us can identify aggressive driving when we see it on the road. Otherwise known as road rage, some maneuvers and oversights that are considered aggressive driving include honking, yelling, swerving, speeding, driving too fast for conditions, tailgating, flashing headlights, failing to yield to other road users, shouting obscenities, making rude gestures, ignoring traffic signals, and cutting in front of other vehicles.
Road rage is typically caused by a driver becoming frustrated by traffic, running late, or other vehicles and drivers on the road. But the rage of one driver, even for just a split second, can have disastrous consequences for other road users.
The Impact on Victims
Aggressive driving inflicts profound harm on victims, manifesting in physical injuries, emotional trauma, and financial burdens. Collisions resulting from aggressive behaviors can cause severe bodily harm, ranging from minor cuts and bruises to life-altering, such as traumatic brain injuries (TBIs), spinal cord injuries, lacerations, internal organ damage, and even death.
Emotional trauma can follow an accident, including anxiety, PTSD, and a fear of driving. Victims may also face significant financial burdens, including medical expenses, vehicle repair costs, and lost income due to injuries. The ripple effects of aggressive driving extend far beyond the initial incident, leaving lasting scars on individuals and families.
What To Do When You’ve Become a Victim
In the terrible event that you become a victim of an aggressive driving accident, remember the following steps to preserve your safety and rights:
- Prioritize safety: Move to a safe location away from traffic.
- Seek medical attention: Ensure any injuries, no matter how minor, are assessed by a doctor.
- Contact law enforcement: Report the incident to law enforcement for proper documentation.
- Document the scene: Take photos of vehicles, damage, and road conditions.
- Gather witness information: Obtain contact details from any witnesses to the incident.
- Preserve evidence: Keep any relevant evidence, such as dashcam footage or physical evidence from the scene.
Penalties for Aggressive Driving Accidents
In Long Beach, California, aggressive driving is legally different from distracted driving because it indicates the intentional negligence of the driver on the road. An aggressive driver can face criminal penalties of fines and even jail time if found guilty, as aggressive driving is a misdemeanor offense.
Sometimes, distracted driving and driving while intoxicated can also be classed as aggressive driving, as they all fall under the umbrella of reckless driving; the complexities vary from case to case. Aggressive drivers can also be held accountable in civil cases when they are determined to be liable for an accident and may face the prospect of compensatory or punitive damages to the victims of their crash.
Accidents that are most commonly caused by aggressive driving include “fender-benders” that occur when tailgating, running other cars off the road by swerving or driving unsafely, and head-on collisions that occur when a driver overtakes unsafely. These may result in vehicle damage, injury, medical expenses, or even loss of life.
Liability in Aggressive Driving Accidents
For someone to be held liable for an accident, it must be proven that they acted negligently while driving and that their negligence contributed to or caused the accident. The liability laws in California are varying and can be complex, but that shouldn’t stop you from seeking legal counsel. An experienced Long Beach aggressive driving accident lawyer can investigate the accident, speak to witnesses, and work with experts to collect evidence in support of your injury claim.
Legal Recourse for Aggressive Driving Accidents
You should not have to carry the burden of your accident costs alone. In the aftermath of an aggressive driving accident, don’t hesitate to contact a Long Beach injury attorney who can help you take legal action to seek compensation for the damages you’ve sustained.
Working with an experienced personal injury lawyer will give you the best chance of obtaining maximum compensation. Compensation can cover a range of damages, including medical bills, lost wages, property damage, and pain and suffering. Your attorney can help you navigate the claims process, negotiate skillfully with insurance companies, and fight for your rights in court if you don’t receive a fair offer. But state law imposes a time limit on filing lawsuits, so it’s important to act quickly.
Get Justice for Your Injuries
If you’ve been badly injured by an aggressive driver in Long Beach, contact The Law Firm of Joseph H. Low IV. Our friendly and skilled legal team has extensive experience handling aggressive driving accident cases, and we will strive to get the best possible outcome so that you can care for yourself and your family.
Let us take care of the legal process while you focus on recovery—call (562) 901-0840 today.