Liability for Tennessee Road Rage Accidents

Say you are driving home one night on I-40, stuck in the stop and go of the evening traffic, when you see a car rushing toward you in your rear-view mirror. That car darts quickly into the left lane, cutting off a vehicle that was approaching, and then another car follows quickly behind it. You can see that one vehicle is chasing the other, and it does not look like they are having fun. A few minutes later, traffic comes to a dead stall because there is an accident up ahead. You soon discover that the accident was caused by the two angry drivers that had been taunting each other on the highway earlier.

What you just witnessed is a road rage accident. Road rage is aggressive driving behavior where the driver is using his or her vehicle to intimidate and frighten other drivers. In their annual Traffic Safety Culture Index, the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety reports that eight out of ten drivers rank aggressive driving as a serious or extremely serious risk that jeopardizes their safety. The AAA Foundation estimates that aggressive driving accounts for more than half of all traffic fatalities.

What are some aggressive driving behaviors?

The AAA Foundation lists the following as aggressive driving behaviors:

• Speeding
• Racing with other cars
• Tailgating
• Seeking confrontations with other drivers
• Failing to observe signs and traffic regulations

Other signs of road rage include:

• Sudden acceleration or deceleration too close to another vehicle
• Cutting off other motorists
• Making profane hand gestures at other drivers
• Dangerous lane changes
• Using the car’s horn aggressively

Liability for road rage accidents

Most car crashes are civil offenses – another driver failed to uphold his or her duty to drive safely and caused an accident. Road rage cases are different. When another driver engages in intentionally aggressive behavior which leads to violence and destructive behavior, they can be held liable for the property damage and injuries they cause AND be charged with a criminal offense. If an aggressive driver intentionally crashed into your vehicle or tries to force you off the road, they may try to flee the scene because they know that their behavior was criminal. If you can, catch their license plate and get a good description of their vehicle before they are out of sight.

If you are assaulted by an aggressive driver, you should report the incident to law enforcement and pursue criminal charges against the aggressor. If the aggressive driver is convicted of assault or any other criminal charges in the incident, it will make it much easier for you to prove their liability in a civil case.

Suffering a serious injury in a car accident caused by road rage can be devastating. The experienced Memphis car crash attorneys at Bailey & Greer, PLLC represent car accident victims in Jackson, Memphis, and throughout West Tennessee. You are encouraged to call us at 901-680-9777 or fill out our contact form to schedule a no obligation consultation with one of our car accident lawyers to discuss your legal options today.