With the holiday season in full swing, many people’s nerves are on edge. People are in a rush to get shopping done, overcome bad weather to get to work, or running late to attend holiday events. As a result of this rush, road rage occurs in the form of speeding, tailgating, and/or dangerous passing.
In this post, I want to help convince Philadelphia drivers to exercise patience this holiday season and avoid road rage at all costs.
A Growing Problem
The statistics point to an alarming national trend. According to a CBS report done last month, two-thirds of all deadly crashes involve aggressive driving. Closer to home, recent PennDOT data indicates crashes attributed to aggressive driving in our state rose from 6,330 in 2011 to 7,761 in 2012, and fatalities involving aggressive driving also rose from 168 in 2011 to 191 in 2012.
A Clear-Cut Legal Issue
As both a criminal defense and auto accident attorney in Philadelphia, I’ve seen the damage aggressive driving and road rage can do.
People who drive aggressively are risking costly tickets, accidents, lawsuits, and even jail time just to save a few minutes of drive time. Is it worth it?
On the other side of the coin, people who are victimized by aggressive drivers often have a solid personal injury case. In fact, juries have proven very sympathetic to road rage victims. For instance, an incident occurred earlier this year in Maryland where an aggressive driver forced a man and his family off the road. Both cars pulled over and a confrontation occurred. The father who was an off-duty New Jersey detective felt threatened. He fired on his attackers and killed one. The jury found him not guilty of murder, agreeing that the shooting was in self-defense.
Best Advice: Exercise Patience
I know this is a crazy time of year, but using a patient, forgiving, and cautious driving approach is the best way to avoid road rage. Here are some quick tips:
- Give yourself plenty of time to reach your location.
- Plan your route in advance.
- Stay alert to traffic everywhere around you.
- Only pass other cars when it’s legal and safe.
Never Escalate a Situation
As the case in Maryland demonstrates, road rage can escalate quickly. If you find yourself harassed by an aggressive driver, it’s important keep the situation in control. Never get out of your car or respond to the aggressive driver with your own aggressive behavior. Keep your wits, try to record the aggressive driver’s license plate number, and report that driver to the police.
A Resource for Philadelphia-Area Road Rage Victims
If you have suffered injury because of another driver’s road rage, contact my office ASAP. I can help your recovery and will make sure you receive all the compensation you deserve. Also, check out https://www.joemitchellattorney.com for more on aggressive driving, accident law, and my Philadelphia auto accident attorney experience.
Our promise is to deliver outstanding customer service and our motto is: More Service than You Would Expect.
Joe Mitchell: Harvard Educated, Street Smart. Philadelphia Accident Attorney
