A driver in the grips of road rage is one of the most dangerous individuals on the road. Not only is someone with road rage likely to disregard the rules of the road and stop thinking clearly. They have decided to target you for “revenge” and might even try to cause a wreck on purpose. In extreme cases, road rage drivers have assaulted and even shot at people.
Here are five things that road rage drivers in Baton Rouge typically do:
- Honk their horn repeatedly or lean on the horn to harass or frighten you
- “Break check” (suddenly slam on the brakes because they believe the vehicle behind them is too close)
- Tailgate, especially at highway speeds
- Forcing your vehicle off the road
- Get out of their vehicle to attack you
A motor vehicle is a powerful machine. When used as a weapon, it can severely harm people. For example, a pickup truck or SUV ramming another vehicle can easily cause a range of life-threatening injuries to the people inside. Keep in mind that a driver need not have purposely forced you to wreck to be liable for your injuries under civil law, which uses a different legal standard than the one used in criminal court. To win in a personal injury lawsuit, you must prove that the driver acted negligently and that you were injured as a result. Negligence is not an intent to hurt you. It means the driver failed to act with the level of care that a prudent person would under the same or similar circumstances.