Founder and Managing Partner
When an aggressive driver suddenly begins hot on your heels, relentlessly honking and even making threatening gestures, you’re not just in for an annoying encounter, but a problem known as road rage. While most people experience some mild form of road rage (often caused by the stress of everyday life), it’s not uncommon to hear that it can have catastrophic consequences.
Road rage has become an increasingly common and dangerous phenomenon that can lead to serious accidents and injuries. In 2022, the Los Angeles Police Department recorded more than 800 cases of road rage, the highest number in the past seven years in Los Angeles County. Any instance where aggression or anger manifests itself in dangerous behavior on the road can be called road rage, including actions like:
- Excessive honking
- Verbal insults or obscene gestures
- Speeding or racing
- Sudden lane changes without signaling
- Showing aggression through facial expressions or body language
- Physical confrontations or assaults
In the context of California law, acts associated with road rage, such as aggressive driving or assault with a deadly weapon, fall under various sections of the California Vehicle Code and the California Penal Code, which usually means facing criminal charges for threats, assault, assault and disruption of public roads. Additionally, a person who causes injury to a third party due to aggressive driving behavior may face negligent driving and personal injury charges.
Encountering an irate driver on the road can be an unnerving situation. If you do have to deal with one of these people while driving, try to always remain calm and, where possible, continue to drive safely and safely, which you can do by following these tips:
- Always respect the driving rules and posted speed limits
- Don’t try to speed up, either to get away from or to catch up with an angry driver.
- Continue to yield to pedestrians, leave enough space for other vehicles
- Watch out for other drivers around you