Summer Forecast: Road Rage
Road rage has been on the rise since the end of pandemic-related lockdowns. For a long time, essential personnel were the only ones commuting. People were not doing much of anything outside their homes, and everyone got used to there being very little traffic. Then, stay-at-home orders lifted and suddenly, everyone was dealing with traffic like they had not seen in over a year. Since the roads first started to fill back up, road rage car crashes have only gotten worse and more frequent.
Now that we are right in the middle of summer, road rage levels may be even higher than usual. There is an undeniable link between heat and road rage, and traffic tends to be worse in the summer. If you are injured by a driver with road rage, you may be able to recover compensation.
The Link Between Heat and Road Rage
The fact that high temperatures contributes to road rage incidents has been known for a very long time. Extreme heat tends to increase how a person responds to annoyances drastically. A minor irritation, like getting cut off in traffic, might be no big deal at all for a driver in pleasant weather. However, in extreme heat, that same driver may end up reacting quite aggressively, such as by trying to swerve around and cut off the other driver in an act of revenge.
One 2015 study found that people are 7.7% more likely to get into a car accident during a heat wave. This likely has to do with the effect of intense heat on a person’s mental state and the increased likelihood of risky road rage behaviors.
Examples of Road Rage Driving
There is more to road rage than making a rude hand gesture or yelling obscenities out the window. A driver with road rage may:
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Pass illegally - Very angry and impatient drivers may attempt to pass others by driving in the wrong lane or on the shoulder.
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Run lights - Drivers may be so rushed or focused on a conflict with another driver that they fly right through a red light or blow past a stop sign.
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Blocking - Road rage drivers might try to deliberately prevent another vehicle from turning or merging, which could result in someone getting run off the road or a sideswipe accident.
If you get hit by a driver with road rage, be sure to prioritize your safety and call the police immediately. Then, speak to a lawyer.
Contact a Kane County Car Accident Attorney
Kinnally Flaherty Krentz Loran Hodge & Masur P.C. is skilled at helping those who have been injured in a road rage incident recover compensation. Our experienced Aurora car accident lawyers can help you gather evidence of their reckless behavior so that we can recover the best possible settlement or award for you. Call 630-907-0909 for a free consultation.
Source:
https://www.psychologicalscience.org/news/motr/does-hot-weather-fuel-road-rage.html
