There is only one type of car accident that is avoidable 100 percent of the time. As you may have guessed by now, we are talking about road rage accidents. These accidents, which are caused by motorists’ inability to tame their temper, are one of the leading causes of motor vehicle accidents in Pennsylvania.

“If you have ever operated a vehicle, you probably know that practically anyone can lose their temper when driving no matter how calm, relaxed, and Zen a driver is when outside his or her vehicle,” says our Philadelphia road rage accident attorney at Dan Doyle Law Group.

You may be very calm when sitting at a dining table, but can easily turn into a Hulk the moment you enter a highway where everyone is honking, speeding, trying to cut you off, and do a variety of other annoying things that piss you off. You are not alone.

Road rage on Philadelphia roads and highways

Road rage is arguably one of the most common and yet unexplainable driving phenomena. You do not necessarily need to have a bad day to fall into a fit of rage when another driver cuts you off or honks at you, but when you do have a bad day, you are even more likely to give in to road rage.

Raging drivers are commonly encountered on Philadelphia roads and highways, and pretty much any motorist can lose his or her temper for any reason or no reason at all. “Yes, road rage is a very complicated topic, but what many seem to forget is that driving aggressively and engaging in road rage is illegal under federal and state law,” warns our experienced car accident lawyer.

It makes sense why federal and state laws prohibit drivers from engaging in road rage. After all, by losing your temper while driving a vehicle, the deadliest weapon of mass destruction in the 21st century, you endanger the lives of motorists you share the road with.

What to do at the scene of a road rage accident

Road rage accidents generally fall into two categories. At the scene of a road rage car accident, the raging driver either (a) continues raging, which creates the risk of being hurt by that driver in a fit of rage, or (b) acts as if he or she never engaged in road rage in the hope that witnesses will deny seeing that the driver was ever raging or exhibiting aggressive behavior.

If the other driver continues exhibiting aggressive behavior after the two of you exited your vehicles at the scene, you may want to stay away from that driver and call the police as soon as possible. If you ended up in the second scenario, and the other driver denies that he or she engaged in road rage when operating the vehicle, it is advised to speak to a skilled car accident lawyer in order to collect evidence proving that the other motorist disregarded your safety in a fit of road rage.

How to recognize signs of road rage

Many motorists in Philadelphia have a problem with recognizing signs of road rage. The following behaviors may constitute road rage and entitle you to seek compensation for your damages and losses caused by a raging driver:

  • Cutting you off
  • Exceeding the speed limit
  • Stopping abruptly
  • Tailgating or failing to maintain a safe distance
  • Driving unreasonably slowly to piss you off
  • Honking for no reason
  • Flashing high beams for no reason
  • Using profanity or foul language
  • Showing offensive gestures, and
  • Throwing bottles or other objects at you or your vehicle

If you have been injured in a car accident caused by any of the above-mentioned behaviors, do not hesitate to seek legal help from a skilled lawyer. Contact Dan Doyle Law Group to discuss your case in a free case evaluation.