Road Rage: 6 Facts & Statistics

Road Rage Causes Aggressive Driving, Accidents & Death. No One’s Immune from it, But There Are Simple Ways to Avoid it.

Blasting horns, tailgating, speeding, and zigzagging in and out of traffic—those are just some of the dangerous behaviors that happen when motorists are overcome with road rage.

While those enraged drivers can be major risks on the roads, they aren’t the only ones.

In fact, recent statistics show that about 4 out of 5 motorists admit to experiencing road rage within the past month.

Are you one of them?

6 Important Facts About Road Rage

Whether you’ve experienced road rage personally or you’ve witnessed it while driving, these facts shed some important light on how dangerous it is, how to avoid it, and what to do if you become the target of it.

1. Being late is a top cause of road rage: When we’re late, we’re stressed out. That tends to make the average driver more willing to take risks, speed, and lose patience behind the wheel. Depending on how late someone is and what they’re late for, road rage could be triggered by even the most minor things, like missing traffic lights.

2. Road rage often causes injuries: One study of 10,000 incidents of road rage found that more than 12,600 injuries were caused by the aggressive driving (and other actions) of the enraged drivers. That’s more injuries than incidents, and it highlights how innocent bystanders are often the victims of road rage accidents.

3. Road rage can be fatal: Deaths caused by road rage accidents (or, in some cases, shootings) have increased by at least 500% since 2006. From 2014 to 2016 alone, more than 136 road rage shootings occurred on U.S. roads.

4. Some drivers are more likely to exhibit road rage than others: Male motorists are far more susceptible to road rage than female drivers. Additionally, motorists between 25 and 39 are far more likely to give in to rage and drive aggressively, when compared to drivers of every other age group.

5. Road rage often escalates: About 50% of those who are the targets of road rage become enraged themselves. That can make the problem of road rage much worse, especially if it results in immediate attempts to “retaliate” in the moment.

6. Road rage is totally preventable: Drivers have a responsibility to safely operate their vehicles. If you start experiencing road rage, do not give in. Instead, pull over, breathe deeply, and consider calling someone who can talk you down. If you see another driver enraged on the road, do your best to avoid engaging with him or her. You never know who you could be dealing with, and disengaging from the road rage situation can help you immediately end any threats it may bring.

When motorists’ road rage or other reckless actions cause accidents, those drivers can be accountable. The experienced motor vehicle accident lawyers at Bell & Pollock, P.C. can help you seek justice whenever negligence harms you on the roads.

We are proud to be champions for traffic accident survivors, and we are highly skilled at developing the best Legal Game Plan™ when it’s time to recover.

From our offices conveniently located in Denver and Steamboat Springs, our lawyers provide the highest quality legal services to people throughout the Denver metro area, Arapahoe County, Routt County, and the state of Colorado.

Now a Word from Gary Bell

Auto Legal Talk: Car Accident Medical Bills
By Gary Bell of Bell & Pollock, Injury Attorneys

When car crashes cause serious injuries, they can also bring a tidal wave of medical bills and expenses. That can result in a lot of stress, concerns, and questions for the victims of wrecks, especially if another driver (or party) is at fault for the crash.

If you or anyone you love is ever hurt in a collision, here are the key facts to understand about car accident medical bills. These insights can help you protect yourself and your rights when it’s time to recover.

Car Accident Medical Bills: What Every Driver Needs to Know About

These facts shed light on your obligations and potential rights regarding car crash medical bills.

1. You’re responsible for your bills: Even if someone else is at fault for your wreck, you are still legally obligated to pay your medical bills for the injuries arising from that crash. Still, you can be entitled to compensation for those medical bills if you pursue a motor vehicle accident claim and that claim is successfully resolved.

2. You shouldn’t put off medical care because you’re worried about the bills: Receiving medical care can be critical to the best possible prognoses. It can also be essential to the strength of a future auto accident claim. In fact, if you skip medical treatment because you’re worried about the bills, you may not get any or as much compensation for those bills later. Why? Because insurance companies may have enough room to argue that you weren’t really hurt by the crash (otherwise, you would have sought treatment). They could also allege that you contributed to the severity of your injuries (by not getting the necessary care). In other words, this could backfire big time.

3. Compensation may cover past and future medical bills: This could include everything from emergency bills (like ambulance and emergency room costs) to hospitalizations, ongoing therapies, future surgeries, and doctors’ visits. It could also include the costs of medications, assistive equipment, and future diagnostic testing needs.

4. Medical providers may work with you when it comes to billing: Doctors, physical therapists, surgeons, and other health care professionals may be willing to adjust when, how, or how much they bill you for treatment if you explain that you were in a crash and you will be filing (or already have filed) a claim. Reputable medical providers tend to have experience treating car accident victims, and many already have systems or processes in place for these situations.

5. Having the right lawyer can make all the difference in your recovery: Ultimately, an experienced attorney can position a car accident claim for a successful outcome and a full, fair recovery. That can mean securing compensation for your car accident medical bills, as well as other losses, from lost earnings and damaged property to pain, suffering, loss of consortium, and possibly more. While financial awards can never erase the damage from serious wrecks, compensation can help victims and families restore their lives.

An experienced car accident lawyer at Bell & Pollock, P.C. is ready to help you navigate the road to recovery if you or a loved one has been hurt in a motor vehicle wreck.

For honest advice, first-class service, and exceptional representation after a crash, simply contact the skilled motor vehicle accident lawyers at Bell & Pollock, P.C. We are here to help you get justice, and we know how to devise the right Legal Game Plans™ to get victims full, fair compensation so they can recover and move on with their lives.