Most Mississippi drivers have had the experience of traveling down the road or highway and encountering an extremely rude or aggressive motorist. Aggressive drivers may tailgate while flashing their bright, speed, weave through traffic, drive on the shoulder or otherwise engage in multiple traffic violations simultaneously. As upsetting and stressful as it can be to deal with a driver engaged in such conduct, the safest option usually is to simply to stay clear of such a driver. Aggressive drivers may become easily agitated or angry if you retaliate. Retaliation may result in an aggressive driving situation escalating into a road rage incident.
While many times people use the terms “aggressive driving” and “road rage” simultaneously, they are very different concepts and pose unique types of injury risks. Aggressive driving refers to drivers that consciously engage in multiple acts of unsafe driving or motor vehicle violations at the same time. An example might include a driver that is speeding and swerves onto the shoulder to pass you. While aggressive drivers pose a substantial risk of causing a serious car accident, there conduct may exhibit a high degree of negligence and even rise to the level of recklessness, but there is no intentional goal to cause harm to others.
The motivations of drivers engaged in road rage are far more malevolent. Road rage involves drivers that engage in acts intended to cause injury to another. While some of the better publicized examples involve shooting firearms into the passenger compartment of other vehicles, an automobile can just as easily be used as a weapon. A driver who attempts to run down a pedestrian or force another vehicle off the road in a fit of anger is another type of conduct that may constitute road rage. Road rage that results in injury to another does not just expose a driver to civil liability for money damages but may also result in serious criminal charges.
Many people make the mistake of responding to aggressive drivers by making gestures, yelling, or otherwise antagonizing aggressive drivers on Mississippi roadways. There is little value in this form of provocation and an extreme risk of escalating the situation. If you or someone you love has suffered serious injuries or a loved one has died because of the negligent driving of an aggressive driver or an act of road rage, the experienced Mississippi aggressive driving attorneys at Barrett Law may be able to represent you in a personal injury action. At the Barrett Law Offices PLLC, our experienced Mississippi personal injury lawyers represent injury victims throughout Mississippi. Our law firm has roots that reach back 75 years so contact us today for your free initial consultation at (662) 834-2376 to see how we can help.