Road Rage Accidents in the New York Metro Area

 Posted on April 25, 2024 in Car Accidents

If there is one negative stereotype about the New York Metro Area that locals and tourists alike would agree rings true, it is probably that the traffic is terrible. While many people wisely choose to commute via public transportation to avoid our area’s notorious traffic jams, this seems to do little to alleviate the problem. The sheer number of people who live, work, and commute by car in the area dictates that there is going to be some degree of traffic congestion, particularly at times of the day when people are going to or leaving work. This level of traffic can easily contribute to road rage - and accidents caused by road rage. If you were injured by a driver with road rage, consult a Greenwich, CT car accident lawyer.

How Dangerous is Road Rage? 

Road rage can be just as dangerous as drunk driving or driving while half-asleep. People who have succumbed to traffic-induced blind rage may make extremely poor decisions in their haste to get out of traffic faster. Extremely angry drivers are more likely to make reckless maneuvers, like cutting other drivers off, running red lights, or even engaging in willful violence against other drivers.

Common Accidents Caused by Drivers With Road Rage 

Accidents often caused by drivers experiencing road rage include:

• Brake-checking crashes - An angry driver who has been stuck behind a slower-moving (which usually means speed-limit-abiding) driver may rapidly speed up and pull just inches in front of the slower driver, then slam on his brakes abruptly. The driver now behind may not be able to react fast enough to avoid a moving rear-end collision. These crashes often involve multiple vehicles. 
• Side-swipe or miss-and-run accidents - Drivers with road rage might deliberately try to run another driver off the road. This may mean side-swiping another car or forcing another car off the road without actually hitting it before taking off. 
• Failure to yield collisions - Rageful drivers may refuse to yield when another driver has the right-of-way, especially when their lanes are ending but they refuse to let anyone in ahead of them. 
• Loss of control accidents - Drivers who are making sudden and risky maneuvers due to road rage are more prone to losing control of their vehicles. 
• Pedestrian and cyclist accidents - A driver who is unreasonably furious may be so focused on spiting the driver he is angry with that he fails to notice a pedestrian or cyclist. 

The driver acting out of road rage is almost always at fault when he gets into an accident.

Contact a New York Metro Area Car Crash Lawyer 

Ivey, Barnum & O'Mara, LLC is committed to helping people who have been injured by drivers with road rage. Our experienced Greenwich, CT car accident attorneys have held prestigious political positions. Contact us at 203-661-6000 for a complimentary consultation.