BY MYFOXATLANTA STAFF/myfoxatlanta

ATLANTA, Ga. – Atlanta police [say] two men are facing charges after an apparent road rage incident that took place during the morning rush hour on Interstate 285 on Monday morning. Atlanta injury lawyer Houston Smith is interviewed and provides the legal repercussions of such dangerous driving behavior.

Road rage on I-285 boils over

The incident happened along I-285 between Cascade Road and Langford Parkway West, officers say. According to police, the driver of a Lexus and the driver of a Dodge truck had been cutting each other off for miles when shots were fired.

Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer comments on Road Rage

Here at Personal Injury Lawyers of Atlanta we have reported about and discussed road rage before. Are Atlanta road rage incidents cause for concern? Yes! All too often we see the dangerous fall out of aggressive driving, even if it doesn’t involve road rage. People injured in a road rage accident can seek punitive damages which do not have a cap on monetary compensation like other personal injury related claims.

What is road rage?

Road rage is aggressive or angry behavior by a driver of an automobile or other motor vehicle. Such behavior might include rude gestures, verbal insults, deliberately driving in an unsafe or threatening manner, or making threats. Road rage can lead to altercations, assaults, and collisions which result in injuries and even death. Road rage can be thought of as an extreme case of aggressive driving.

Causes of Road Rage

The cause(s) of road rage are not clear and are difficult to pinpoint exactly. But, many experts feel it is due to a progressive escalation of anger associated with one or more drivers on the road. Sometimes the victim of the rage isn’t even the one who initially “wronged” the aggressive driver.

If you are in need of a personal injury lawyers in Atlanta or have any questions, contact Link & Smith, P.C. 24 hours a day at 1-888-315-8840.

Additional Resources:
20 Questions You Must Ask Your Atlanta Personal Injury Lawyer
Atlanta road rage incidents cause for concern

Continue Reading

Road rage is aggressive or angry behavior by a driver of an automobile or other motor vehicle. As a Georgia car accident lawyer we hear about road rage incidents. Here are some tips for preventing yourself from suffering from road rage or instugating others through driving related retaliation. Georgia personal injury is clear regarding aggressive driving.

§ 40-6-397.  Aggressive driving; penalty
(a) A person commits the offense of aggressive driving when he or she operates any motor vehicle with the intent to annoy, harass, molest, intimidate, injure, or obstruct another person, including without limitation violating Code Section 40-6-42, 40-6-48, 40-6-49, 40-6-123, 40-6-184, 40-6-312, or 40-6-390 with such intent.
(b) Any person convicted of aggressive driving shall be guilty of a misdemeanor of a high and aggravated nature.
HISTORY: Code 1981, § 40-6-397, enacted by Ga. L. 2001, p. 208, § 1-7.

1. Practice situational awareness: always strive to be aware of your driving environment and the constantly varied driving scenarios happening around you. Predicting the unpredictable is impossible. But, always be on the lookout for driving clues around you like looking ahead of traffic as far as possible and avoiding driving scenarios that may place you at risk (ie. passing a car on the shoulder of the road)

2. Practice defensive driving: which means driving to save lives, time, and money, in spite of the conditions around you and the actions of others. Examples include following the two second rule while driving and always wearing a seat belt.

3. Curtail your reaction: when you have been affected by the actions of another driver take a moment to think about your response. Ask yourself, will your reaction escalate the situation and make it worse? If yes, then don’t respond or don’t respond in kind.

4. Report aggressive driving: if you have a mobile phone call and report aggressive driving to the local authorities. Whether calling 911 directly or a police station directly provide as much information as possible regarding the vehicle and what behavior you observed them engaging in. Never take it upon yourself to break the law, like speeding, in an effort to catch the person.

Here are some road rage incidents that happened in and around Georgia. If you want to know what causes road rage check out this post. If you or someone you know is injured or killed in an accident call our office with any questions you may have regarding your legal rights.

For a FREE consultation with our attorneys concerning your accident, call 1-888-315-8840

Continue Reading