Road rage is being listed as the cause of a crash between a Camaro and a pickup truck on the New York State Thruway near Batavia, according to recent sources. The incident was captured on a dash cam by another driver. From the film, it appears that the driver of a Camaro tried to squeeze in front of a truck from the right lane. The pickup truck driver then accelerated, with the two drivers arguing with each other. The Camaro tailgated the pickup while it rode next to a large truck on the right side, blocking the car from moving forward. This led to a collision between the Camaro, the pickup truck and the large truck, with all three vehicles ending up off the road.
While there were no injuries reported, the Camaro driver attempted to flee the scene. The video was turned over to the New York State Police for investigation.
Road Rage and Aggressive Driving: Dangerous Killers On The Highways
Many people die each year in aggressive driving accidents, according to reports. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration notes that aggressive driving is defined as purposely operating a motor vehicle in a way that endangers other people or property. This distinguishes “aggressive driving” from “road rage,” in which the intent is to cause harm to someone else. Examples of aggressive driving include speeding, improper lane changes, tailgating and improper passing.
Of the 6.8 million crashes on the road each year, a substantial number are thought to occur due to aggressive driving. The American Automobile Association estimates the number of injuries and fatalities that have occurred due to aggressive driving since 1997 at about 13,000.
One of the problems with identifying aggressive drivers is that motor vehicle operators tend to identify other drivers’ mistakes much more readily than their own. The NHTSA conducted a survey which showed that more than 60 percent of drivers consider unsafe driving a major threat to their safety and that of their families. However, few of these drivers recognized their own behavior, such as speeding, as a threat to others.
Aggressive drivers are more likely to drink and drive or to drive without using safety restraints. Aggressive drivers are also more likely to escalate into road rage.
What Can I Do If I Am The Victim of Road Rage?
If you have been the victim of an accident caused by road rage or another driver’s aggressive operation of a vehicle, you may have the right to recover damages for your injuries. Talk to the personal injury attorneys at Fitzgerald Law Firm in New York to set up a free consultation and discuss your case.