Delaware Aggressive Driving Accident Lawyers
Dedicated Delaware Car Accident Lawyers Fighting for You
“Road rage” car accidents are frequently in the news. One driver cuts another off, and a minor frustration escalates into a heated and potentially violent confrontation.
Reckless driving is not just dangerous for the aggressive driver, but also for their passengers and those traveling the roadways around them.
Following are some of the signs of aggressive driving, as well as a look at how the state of Delaware is working to combat this unsafe behavior.
The Facts on Aggressive Driving in Delaware
From 2015-2017, more than 10,000 people were injured in aggressive driving accidents in Delaware. During the same time period, 116 people were killed in crashes caused by aggressive driving behaviors.
In 2017, 37 percent of all fatal crashes were caused by aggressive driving. Clearly, more needs to be done to educate the public about these risky behaviors and possible ways to prevent them.
Examples of Aggressive Driving Behaviors
What exactly constitutes aggressive driving? Is it leaning on the horn or saying a few choice words under your breath?
Not necessarily. Aggressive driving behaviors generally include:
- Failing to yield when merging or turning
- Ignoring a traffic control device
- Making unsafe lane changes
- Overtaking a stopped school bus
- Passing on the shoulder
- Speeding
- Tailgating
Efforts to Decrease Aggressive Driving
In 1999, the Delaware State General Assembly passed the state’s first law intended to tackle aggressive driving. Drivers who commit at least three traffic offenses during a single incident are charged with an aggressive driving violation.
This violation comes with fines ranging from $100 to $300, or 10 to 30 days in jail. Drivers with an aggressive driving violation are also required to complete a driving course designed to modify their behavior behind the wheel.
Drivers who commit a second aggressive driving violation within three years face a 30-day suspension of their license.
What to Do When Facing an Aggressive Driver
What should you do if you are confronted by an aggressive driver? Under no circumstances should you challenge them. As tempting as it may be, do not try to race them or prevent them from merging.
You should do your best to get away from them as quickly as possible. Avoid making any eye contact. Ignore their verbal taunts and physical gestures, and certainly do not return them.
Once you have come to a stop out of traffic, call 9-1-1 as soon as possible. Give the dispatcher your location and a description of the aggressive driver, their vehicle, and the direction they are traveling.
By notifying the authorities, you may save other drivers from a serious aggressive driving car accident in the future.
Delaware Car Accident Lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC Work for Victims of Aggressive and Reckless Drivers
Even if you make every attempt to follow the traffic laws, you unfortunately cannot control the behavior of other drivers around you. Aggressive drivers cause countless serious and fatal car accidents across the country every year. The Delaware car accident lawyers at McCann Dillon Jaffe & Lamb, LLC fight for innocent victims injured in motor vehicle accidents across the state.
We will work diligently on your behalf to secure the compensation you deserve for your pain and injuries caused by a preventable traffic accident. To take the first step toward justice after a car accident, call 302-888-1221 or contact us online today.
We serve clients from our Wilmington office and throughout Delaware, including Dover, Middletown, and Newark, as well as clients throughout the greater Philadelphia area, Pennsylvania and New Jersey.