Category: General

Has An Aggressive Driver Caused A Crash that Hurt You?

Aggressive drivers are generally considered to be at a greater risk of being involved in an accident. But, is this a fact or just fiction? To understand more about aggressive driving, let’s start by defining it.

What is aggressive driving?

The term aggressive driving means operating a motor vehicle in a way that is unsafe and hostile. An aggressive driver is considered to have no regard for others on the road. An aggressive driver may: change the lane frequently or in an unsafe manner; fail to signal or yield the right of way; tailgate and show disregard for traffic controls.

Aggressive Driving Laws

To date, the matter of aggressive driving has been addressed by 15 U.S. States in their legislatures, and 11 States have laws that specifically define the behavior. Here is the definition of the laws of some of the 15 states.

In one state, a driver is said to be driving aggressively if he/she exceeds the speed limit and does at least two of the following things: passes on the right out of a regular traffic lane, does not obey the device for traffic control; changes lanes in an unsafe manner; fails to yield right of way; drives too close to another vehicle; and performs actions that make him/her an immediate hazard to a person/vehicle.

In one state, a driver is considered aggressive if he/she: exceeds the speed limit; changes lanes in an improper or unsafe manner; fails to yield right of way; drives to closely; passes improperly; fails to obey the devices for traffic control. Driving aggressively is not an enforceable offense in ; the driver is handed a citation for specific traffic infraction or infractions. It is up to the officer in charge to check “Aggressive Driving” box on the ticket for the purpose of data collection.

Two states have made amendments to their existing laws for reckless drivers. These states have included actions similar to those defined as “aggressive” by other U.S. states.

Link Between Aggressive Driving and Accidents

According to a study released by AAA’s Foundation for Traffic Safety, as much as 56% of fatal accidents are due to aggressive behavior of the driver. Data from NHSTA’s Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) suggests that driving aggressively may be the cause of: following in an improper manner; changing lanes improperly or erratically; driving on the shoulders of the road, on a sidewalk/meridian, or in a ditch; passing where it is prohibited by sign posts, pavement markings, and hill/curve; failing to signal; racing; among other reckless actions.

Educating Drivers about Aggressive Driving

Aggressive driving is on the rise. One reason for this trend is that the roads have become more and more crowded. However, the driver’s personality, anger management skills, attitude, time management skills all contribute in the aggressive behavior. Therefore, it is important to educate drivers about the dangers of aggressive driving and how they can stay safe on the road. Anyone interested in learning about aggressive driving should consider taking an aggressive driving course.

Defense Options for an Aggressive Driver

If you have made the mistake of driving aggressively and have been charged for it, you still have a chance of avoiding the associated penalty. A lawyer can help you reduce the offense to a civil traffic penalty such as improper driving, as many of the reasons for such citations are subjective. There is definitely the possibility that you were reacting in the safest possible way to the vehicles around you. Drivers who have a reasonable explanation for the incident and a good driving record many times get a reduction to improper driving.
Please consult with your personal injury attorney to deal with your personal injury case

If you have been seriously injured in an accident involving a semi truck, you may be contacted by a representative of the insurance company covering the tractor-trailer — possibly while you are still in the hospital. While the actions of the insurance company may seem well-intentioned, they are not. Their goal is to pay you a little as possible for the damages you have suffered, and if possible, avoid paying you anything at all.

Truck accident victims often become targets for insurance companies. Without a strong advocate to represent your interests, you could be injured a second time — this time by the trucking company’s insurance carrier. At our firm, our mission is to protect your rights.

,h3>Representing Truck Accident Victims for Decades

Commercial vehicle accidents usually cause catastrophic injuries resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in medical expenses and lost wages. Your life can be changed forever as a result of a truck accident. Your family’s well-being depends on your financial recovery from a personal injury lawsuit.

For more than 45 years, our attorneys have represented the victims of accidents involving heavy trucks and other types of motor vehicles. We represent truck accident victims throughout the state. The sooner you contact us following an accident, the sooner our lawyers can go to work protecting your interests.

Important evidence such as the driver log book can be destroyed if your lawyer doesn’t take immediate steps to preserve it. To make sure evidence does not “go missing” after a truck accident, contact a lawyer as soon as possible.

There is no charge for your initial visit or telephone call. Our lawyers will answer your questions without any obligation. No attorney fees are charged unless we obtain a recovery for you. To arrange a free consultation, please call us today.

If you were involved in an accident with a semi or a commercial truck, there are a number of things that you should do. Truck accident lawyers have compiled a trucking accident checklist for your consideration. Listed below are some of the more important tasks that you should undertake in the event that you have been involved in a heavy truck accident.

If you and your passengers can safely exit your vehicle do so as quickly as possible. In a crash this always a chance of fire so turning off your ignition and leaving your vehicle could be very important.
If possible, move to a safe location. Away from the traffic lanes in the event additional vehicles are further involved in the collision.
If no one has done so already, call 911 to report the accident. This is extremely important if there are personal injuries. This will ensure that medical attention arrives at the scene as quickly as possible.
Do not leave the accident scene until the police arrive and tell you that it is okay for you to leave.

Gather as much information from the other parties involved as possible. Names, addresses, telephone numbers and insurance information will be helpful later on.
If you or your passengers have a cell phone with picture taking capabilities use it to document as much of the scene as possible. Take pictures of a particular damage to both yours and other vehicles. Pictures of injuries could also be useful. At your earliest opportunity download and store this documentation at a stable and safe location for further use if required.
See to it that you or anyone else involved receives adequate medical attention. Even if you initially did not think you are hurt, being examined by a qualified physician is important. The increased adrenaline levels resulting from the accident itself will sometimes mask pain. Also, some types of injuries take a while to evidence themselves.
It is important that you do not make any statements at the accident scene. It is way too early in the process to determine who was at fault so therefore do not make admissions of fault. Do not say “I didn’t see you, you were in my blind spot”, “my insurance will take care of it” or even “I’m sorry” or any other similar statement. These could be considered as admissions of guilt.
Even if you had received medical attention at the accident scene, follow up with a doctor’s visit.

Notify your insurance carrier that you have had an accident and give them any details you have collected.

As soon as practical contact a truck accident attorney. If you or someone in your vehicle was seriously injured it is critical to have your accident attorney begin the process of investigating and collecting evidence. It is important that this crucial data not be lost due to a time lapse.
Remember, the above are only guidelines. A seasoned lawyer knows the in’s and out’s of litigating cases just like yours. They know the right questions to ask the right places to looks for clues and evidence. Their experience is essential to the successful resolution of your case.

If you have been involved in a collision with a heavy truck, don’t delay – contact an attorney for help today. Our lawyers have the years of experience litigating cases just like yours. Call today!