Boston Car Accident Lawyer Blog
A car accident in Massachusetts landed a Mashpee man in jail on a $2,500 bail after he reportedly caused the accident while driving with his wife and son. The man has been arraigned in Falmouth District Court on two counts of assault and battery on a police officer, reckless endangerment of a child and seven other criminal charges.
The accident happened when the passenger, an Army specialist, had an argument with his wife, the driver of the vehicle. Reports conclude that he grabbed the steering wheel, which caused his wife to crash into the woods off Turpentine Road on the Massachusetts Military Reservation. The enraged passenger and his wife suffered minor injuries. Their 17-month-old son was unharmed.
Our Boston car accident attorneys strongly believe that emotions should be left outside the vehicle. According to the AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety, road rage is defined as any number of aggressive behaviors on the part of a driver. It can also get serious enough to include physical assault. It is estimated that the United States sees up to 1,200 reported road rage-related fatalities each year.
The man was so enraged, even after the accident, that he continually threatened the responding troopers at the scene, at the hospital and at the state police barracks, according to reports. He reportedly yelled obscenities, spit on two troopers and damaged a computer, according to the Cape Cod Times.
Enraged drivers pose serious threats to innocent motorists on our roadways. There are many ways that you can try to avoid a potentially dangerous interaction with an enraged driver.
How to avoid becoming the victim of an enraged driver:
-If another driver is becoming aggressive towards you, try not to react. You are urged to avoid making eye contact with them. Many perceive this as confrontational. Keep your driving steady. Don’t be tempted to accelerate, brake or swerve suddenly.
-If you are continuously being hassled by a single driver, or they are following you, drive to the nearest police station or busy place to get help.
-If you’re in traffic with a driver experiencing road rage, lock the car doors and keep the windows and sunroof only partly open.
-Always leave enough space to allow you to pull out from behind the car you are following if need be.
-If someone tries to get into your car, sound your horn or a personal alarm to attract attention.
Drivers most commonly express their road rage by:
-Aggressive tailgating: 62 percent. This is the most common form of road rage.
-Headlight flashing: 59 percent.
-Obscene gestures: 48 percent.
-Deliberately obstructing other vehicles: 21 percent.
-Verbal abuse: 16 percent.
-One percent of surveyed drivers reported that they had been physically assaulted by another driver.
To avoid becoming enraged behind the wheel, make sure you’ve got your trip planned out. Getting lost greatly influences aggressive driving behaviors. Think about the time you’ll be driving. Try to avoid rush hour. Make sure that your windshield is clean. Looking though a dirty windshield is a common source of stress and fatigue for drivers. Never drive for more than three hours without a break and don’t try to travel more than 300 miles in a day. During a long trip, be extra careful on the second day of driving, this is when a driver is most vulnerable to fatigue and is most irritable.
Your chances of becoming stressed behind the wheel have a lot to do with your attitude before you even get in the car. Calm down, breathe and relax.
If you have been injured in a car accident in the Boston area, contact Massachusetts Personal Injury Attorney Jeffrey S. Glassman for a free and confidential appointment to discuss your rights. Call (617) 777-7777.
More Blog Entries:
Another City rejects the use of Red-Light Cameras to Monitor Intersection Accidents in Massachusetts, Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, August 3, 2011
The NTSB Releases Most Wanted Drivers List – Includes Boston Drunk Drivers, Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, July 8, 2011
SUVs to Better Protect Motorists Involved in a Boston Car Accident, Boston Personal Injury Attorney Blog, June 14, 2011