Road Rage Has Potential to Cause Permanent, Severe Injuries

Everyone is a little stressed these days, but some people are better at managing the effects than others. The roadway is one place that can result in an explosive release of emotions leading to life-long injuries when those feeling the pressure finally snap. Drivers aren’t always considerate these days and someone who is already on edge is more likely to be prone to engaging in behavior that amounts to road rage. Oklahoma has seen its fair share of it lately and it has not only deadly consequences but can leave victims and perpetrators with permanent injuries.

One such trauma is a traumatic brain injury (TBI), which is caused when your head is forced to make contact with a hard object. This could be due to hitting your head on a steering wheel or even from being thrown from a vehicle. Guns have been used in several Oklahoma road rage incidents of late that involved speeding and auto accidents. Some resulted in shootings that caused permanent physical damage or death to victims.

How many car accidents are caused by road rage?

According to The Zebra, the road rage statistics are mind boggling. Across the country, 82% of people have admitted to feeling road rage or engaging in aggressive driving in the last year, which includes:

• 6% getting into a physical altercation with another driver. This could have resulted in a hard hit to the head, or even a driver being knocked down and hitting his or her head on the ground.
• 5% sideswiped another vehicle which could cause that vehicle to lose control and wreck. Auto accidents can cause a wide array of injuries including seat belts damaging internal organs.
• Another 5% admitted to intentionally bumping or ramming another vehicle, which could also cause that vehicle to wreck. A driver or passenger can experience bruises and broken bones during a crash.
• Finally, 5% admitted to forcing another driver off the road, which again, could cause a violent car accident.

Any of these scenarios can mean a vehicle rolling out of control across a median or even slamming into other vehicles or objects. Cars can catch fire and cause severe burn injuries, or become crushed resulting in loss of a limb or a spinal cord injury.

Road rage has gotten especially violent in Oklahoma

Most people joke about having road rage when they become frustrated with other drivers. Maybe they honk their horn or make a hand gesture, but that’s where it ends for them. Unfortunately, that’s not always where it ends for the other driver.

Check out some of the more dangerous Oklahoma road rage incidents that have happened in the last year:

• In July 2019, a man stopped short in front of a hospital worker in Oklahoma City, and repeatedly backed his truck into the front of her vehicle before driving off. The woman gave chase and the man was arrested.
• Also in July 2019, two people were killed and four were injured in Bryan County when a drunk driver became aggressive, causing another vehicle to speed up to escape. It created a situation that appeared to other drivers that the vehicles were racing. While the man was arrested for murder, the families also have the option of filing a wrongful death suit against the man.
• After an October 2019 fender bender in Oklahoma City, three university students rolled down their window to request the insurance information from the vehicle that hit them. The driver of the other vehicle held up a gun and began chasing the students threatening to shoot them. The driver giving chase continued ramming into the students’ truck until they were able to get away.
• A November 2019 road rage incident left a truck driver unconscious when the driver of an SUV refused to let the trucker merge to enter the highway. The trucker blew his horn, which resulted in the driver of the SUV blocking the trucker every time he changed lanes. The trucker pulled over and exited his vehicle to confront the other driver. After speaking, the trucker turned around to leave and the driver of the car punched him leaving him lying on the side of the road with a bloody head.
• In January 2020 two men were battling in their vehicles as they sped through a neighborhood while shooting at one another. One vehicle crashed through a series of fences and came to a stop when a metal pole pierced his windshield. One driver walked away from the scene while the other drove off before police arrived.
• In February 2020, an Oklahoma City woman was followed to her home by a disgruntled driver who existed his vehicle and confronted and threatened her through her garage door.

Everyone has a duty to follow the rules of the road and to drive safely. When someone disregards the rules of the road and common civility, you can experience a catastrophic injury or worse. If you have been injured in a collision, the dedicated Oklahoma City car crash attorneys at Cunningham & Mears will vigorously pursue the insurance company for all damages you are entitled to for the pain you have suffered. To schedule your free case evaluation with a member from our team, call 405-232-1212 today or we invite you to reach out to us through our contact form.