Aggressive Driving Accidents and Your Right to Compensation

 Posted on September 18, 2018 in Car Accidents

Aggressive driving is a common factor in traffic accidents across America. In fact, a 2009 study from the American Automobile Association (AAA), which used information from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Fatal Accident Report System (FARS), had found aggressive driving to be a factor in as many as 56 percent of all U.S. car crashes between the years 2003 and 2007. What does these statistics mean for non-aggressive drivers, and what can victims do after an accident has occurred?

What Constitutes Aggressive Driving?

Most people see the terms “aggressive driving” and “road rage” as synonymous, but road rage is actually a form of aggressive driving—certainly one of the more concerning displays of it. Other forms of aggressive driving include:

• Speeding;
• Following too closely, or “tailgating;”
• Racing;
• Improper lane changes;
• Driving on the shoulder;
• Driving in the median;
• Passing where prohibited;
• Failure to yield the right of way;
• Failure to signal;
• Driving too fast for road conditions;
• Improper turns;
• Reckless or erratic handling of a vehicle;
• Failure to obey traffic signs or controls; and
• Failure to observe warnings or instructions.

All these maneuvers and behaviors may place the driver and other road users at risk for an accident. If a crash does occur, aggressive drivers may be held liable for the injuries or damages experienced by victims.

Your Right to Pursue Compensation

Victims who are injured in aggressive driving accidents have the right to pursue compensation from the negligent driver—typically through the driver’s insurance coverage. Unfortunately, what victims may not know is that insurance companies typically do everything they can to reduce or avoid a payout. If they cannot deny the claim, the insurance company may then use a variety of strategies to reduce the victim’s settlement amount. Examples of these tactics can include:

• Shifting blame to the victim or other parties;
• Delaying the process to coerce the victim into settling; and
• Making an early offer before the victim consults an attorney.

To prevent such issues, victims should know and understand their rights, including their rights to hire an attorney and pursue full and fair compensation for the injuries they have suffered.

Contact Our Winnebago County Personal Injury Lawyers

Do not let the insurance companies take advantage of your situation. Contact Mannarino & Brasfield, A Division of Schwartz Jambois, instead. With decades of personal injury experience, our Rockford auto accident lawyers have the knowledge and skills that are needed to ensure you are effectively represented. We protect your rights, best interests, and financial future by aggressively pursuing the most favorable outcome possible. Get started by calling 815-215-7561 to schedule your free consultation.

Sources:

https://www.aaafoundation.org/aggressive-driving

http://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/aggressive-driving