For many motorists here in the Baltimore area, as well as those who live or commute in cities such as Washington, D.C., and Frederick and Bowie, MD, it is hardly surprising to know that a fair number of auto accident cases involve the deliberate actions of an aggressive driver. Whether the root cause is careless driving, impatience with other motorists, or outright road rage, the aftermath of a serious traffic accident can be tragic.
It’s no surprise that aggressive driving has been a concern for law enforcement officials and safety advocates since the 1990s. In more recent years, legislators in various states around the U.S. have looked into this potentially deadly driving behavior and some have actually attempted to enact penalty enhancers to punish offenders found guilty of aggressive driving.
Most states have settled on definitions of aggressive driving that involve a combination of two, three or more specific driving offenses. Some safety experts believe that the laws specifying intent or disregard are less exact than those statutes that focus on certain driving behaviors or specific offenses. Some researchers have suggested that enforcement of aggressive driving laws are difficult mainly due to the fact that they are difficult to distinguish from those laws pertaining to reckless driving.
Some experts suggest that aggressive driving should be defined as multiple violations occurring as a group or in rapid succession; while others have proposed that aggressive driving be described as a wanton disregard for traffic safety. For its part, the American Automobile Association (AAA) has defined this dangerous behavior as “any unsafe driving behavior that is performed deliberately and with ill intention or disregard for safety.” For those looking to the government for guidance on the subject, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has stated that aggressive driving can be identified by actions that exceed the norms of safe driving behavior, and which directly affect other road users by placing them in unnecessary danger.
As Maryland personal injury attorneys, the experienced legal team at Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, understands the physical pain, emotional anguish and financial hardship that can accompany a serious or fatal automobile, commercial truck or motorcycle-related traffic collision. When aggressive driving is at the heart of a bad roadway wreck, the regret and grief is only magnified by the fact that the incident may not have even occurred but for one inconsiderate or thoughtless individual.
No matter what one’s station in life, there is no excuse for one driver to purposely threaten the lives and well-being of others on the road. And while the majority of car, truck and motorcycle collisions are more or less accidental in nature, as professional auto injury lawyers, Lebowitz & Mzhen know that some seemingly unintentional collisions may have not been the result of simple bad luck or poor timing. We understand that there are so-called honest mistakes made on Maryland roadways every day; other crashes may not be so innocent.
Certainly, the responsibility for any serious traffic wreck should lie with the negligent party. Even in cases where no malice is involved, the police may charge the responsible driver with vehicular assault or homicide by auto. As drivers ourselves, we appreciate the fact that most motorists are cool and collected when it comes to heavy traffic and rush hour delays. However, when common courtesy and civility are exchanged for an aggressive driving style, there is always a chance that someone will be hurt, severely injured or killed as a result.
As auto accident lawyers, Lebowitz & Mzhen are prepared to assist victims of aggressive driving, as well as those occasional road rage-related car or truck wrecks. Assisting innocent victims of bad traffic accidents is our job. We work hard to help the injured party recover the costs associated with a severe traffic incident, such as medical treatment charges, emergency room costs and other medical, rehab and nursing expenses.
We understand that resorting to a lawsuit following an accident is sometimes the only avenue open to victims of serious traffic collisions, but avoiding a crash is always preferable to being hurt in the first place. When it comes to those aggressive drivers one may meet on the road, it is important to realize that many of these drivers have forgotten the meaning of “common courtesy” as it applies to their fellow motorists. For this reason alone, it is best to let them go on their way and avoid any further conflict.
As with any roadway accident, injuries are not uncommon and tend to occur more often with the seriousness of the crash itself. Broken arms and legs, fractures of the pelvis, wrist and ankle, as well as spinal cord damage and closed-head trauma are all possible to varying degrees based on the kind of crash and the types of vehicles involved. While motorcycle riders can receive some of the worst injuries when they are involved in a traffic wreck, occupants of motor vehicles, such as passenger sedans, sport utility vehicles (SUVs), minivans and commercial trucks are still very much at risk for severe bodily injury depending on the speed and type of accident.
As personal injury attorneys, we at Lebowitz & Mzhen find it unconscionable for someone to have caused a fatal traffic collision or serious injury accident as a result of impatience with another driver, haste, or simply negligence due to lack of concentration. Just one aggressive driver can place the occupants of one or more vehicles in jeopardy with nary a thought as to the safety of their own passengers or those around them.
Here in the Baltimore area, automobile and trucking-related road accidents happen with alarming frequency. As injury attorneys, we know that some victims who have been injured due to the actions of an aggressive driver end up being badly hurt, and sometimes injured for weeks or months. Those who have been permanently disabled, due to traumatic brain injury or spinal cord damage, may be facing a lifetime of pain and discomfort; and paralysis such as paraplegia or quadriplegia usually means a lifetime of nursing care.
While road rage accidents are sometimes treated as a criminal offense, depending on the circumstance and other facts of the case, aggressive driving itself is typically viewed as only a traffic offense. This in no way lessens the potential danger that a traffic accident poses to a driver and passengers in a vehicle that crashes due to an aggressive driver.
Whether a traffic collision is caused by negligence or deliberate actions, the legal staff at Lebowitz & Mzhen are ready and willing to offer assistance to the victims and their families. People who have been hurt in a road accident can benefit from the knowledge and experience of a skilled personal injury lawyer. Our legal team understands personal injury law and knows how to work with automobile insurance carriers to ensure that the victims’ medical costs, rehab expenses and long-term care fees can be covered. Feel free to dial our firm at (800) 654-1949 and schedule a free, no-obligation consultation. You may also email Jack Lebowitz or Vadim Mzhen regarding your auto injury accident case.