Please be advised that the following topic is for informational purposes only and not a legal matter currently handled by our firm. If you need further assistance regarding this particular topic, you can contact your local Bar Association for a referral to an attorney who may be able to address your inquiry in more detail.
Aggressive drivers beware: California is paying attention to your dangerous driving behavior. The state recently received a federal grant to address crashes related to speeding and aggressive driving.
According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP) the Regulate Aggressive Driving and Reduce Speed grant (RADARS) provides new resources for safe driving education and enforcement. RADARS was developed in response to statistics like these:
- Speed was a factor in 45% of all California crashes with fatalities and severe injuries in 2018 and 2019.
- Over 18 months, the CHP issued more than 44,500 citations for driving more than 100 miles per hour.
- In a single year, 36,036 crashes that involved speeding killed a total of 335 people and injured 53,060 more.
How Will the Grant Change Driving Law Enforcement?
Since the start of the pandemic, the CHP has been tracking a steady increase in instances of reckless and aggressive driving. These incidents often involve high-stakes interpersonal interactions where drivers exhibit “road rage” and engage in dangerous maneuvers.
The CHP is also taking a fresh look at high-risk activities like street racing and auto sideshows with speeding, revving, showboating, and challenging other drivers. CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said her officers will use RADARS grant resources to focus on enforcement issues like:
- Speeding
- Aggressive driving
- Illicit street racing and sideshows
- Exceeding the speed limit in low-speed-limit zones
- Dangerous highway driving, including road rage
California’s Unique History With Road Rage
Did you know road rage was born right here in California? It’s a dubious honor, but it’s true.
Although road rage has always existed all over the world, California is often cited as the global birthplace of road rage because we were the first state to turn it into a legal term of art. In layman’s terms, that means we gave it the name “road rage” and were the first state to make it a crime.
California had an early head-start on road rage incidents due to our huge highway system including the famous LA Expressway. The LAX became a hotbed of road rage in the 80s and 90s as drivers fought their way across multiple lanes of travel and tempers boiled over.
Since then, most states have enacted laws regarding aggressive driving. But California still has some of the nation’s toughest laws against road rage, and the implementation of the RADARS program shows it’s still a top law enforcement priority.
Can You Sue Someone Over Road Rage or Reckless Driving?
If you’re ever hurt in a road accident due to someone else’s dangerous driving, you’ll be wondering what kind of action you can take against them. Sure, you can start an insurance claim, but how do you hold a dangerous driver responsible for their behavior?
There’s no simple answer to this question. Yes, you can absolutely start legal action against someone who hurts you on the road. But proving your case might be difficult without the help of a talented car accident lawyer.
You’ll need to provide clear proof that the other driver was negligent. While their negligence might seem obvious to you, the goal is to convince a judge or jury that their behavior was the cause of your injuries and other damages.
Incidents that involve aggressive driving can be extremely complex. There might be multiple drivers involved and the circumstances leading up to the accident could have taken place over many miles of roadway. It’s challenging to explain what happened and prove your case.
Here at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers, we frequently help clients involved in road rage and aggressive driving accidents. We’re here to listen to your story and help you understand your options. Contact us for a free consultation as soon as possible.
We Handle Your Personal Injury Claim So You Can Focus on Your Life
After an injury, contact the attorneys at Sally Morin Personal Injury Lawyers. We handle many areas of the law, including car accidents that involve aggressive driving. We believe you should be able to focus on recovering while we handle the legal details.
We truly care about the people of California. Contact us today for a free online case evaluation.
