Tempers Rise When Temperatures Rise | Your Rights After a Road-Rage-Related Accident
It’s always hot in Texas in the summer, but this year has been brutal. The relentless heat can take a toll in many ways, on both your physical health and mental well-being. Unfortunately, when you’re behind the wheel of a car or truck, the oppressive heat can shorten your fuse and cause you to be a bit more aggressive than you normally would be. It should come as no surprise, then, that studies have shown a link between warmer weather and increased road rage.
What Is Road Rage?
Road rage can take a variety of forms, such as:
- Tailgating, driving alongside another vehicle, or intentionally blocking the path of another vehicle (often with excessive braking)
- Cutting a driver off, weaving in and out of traffic, or excessively switching lanes in front of another driver
- Verbal attacks, either at a traffic stop or while driving down the road
- Hand gestures
- Flashing lights behind another vehicle
Excessive Heat Linked to Aggressive Behavior Behind the Wheel
In a recent study, researchers at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) found that summer heat leads to more aggressive behavior on the road. The NIH report found that, when the temperature remains below 80 degrees Fahrenheit, frustrated drivers typically tap on their horns, but when it exceeds 90 degrees, they lay on them, often accompanied with hand gestures or shouting.
Why Do Higher Temperatures Lead to an Increase in Aggressive Behavior on the Roads?
Scientists have long known that excessive heat contributes to fatigue, and that fatigue can heighten stress levels. As stress levels elevate, we go from having a calm and rational manner to unleashing a fight-or-flight instinct. In that mode, our muscles get tense, our blood pressure increases, and we start breathing more rapidly. We respond physically to our environment, rather than processing thoughts mentally, hence the hand gestures, excessive horn-blowing, or tailgating.
What Are Your Legal Rights When You Suffer Injury or Loss Because of Road Rage?
You have a right to recover full and fair compensation for any loss or injury caused by someone else’s road rage. That includes any physical, mental, or emotional distress caused by the event, as well as any damage to your vehicle. You can seek lost wages or income, as well as any unreimbursed medical expenses resulting from the incident.
What Should You Do If You Are a Victim of Road Rage?
The most important thing is not to get caught up in the emotions of the moment. It’s best to stay in your car and keep moving, if you can do that safely. If you feel that your personal safety is in jeopardy, call 911 and report the incident.
Contact the Experienced Personal Injury Attorneys at Bailey & Galyen
At the law offices of Bailey & Galyen, we offer more than 40 years of experience to people across Texas who suffer injury because of the negligence of another person, including those hurt in car accidents or assaults. We will be strong advocates for you at every stage of a personal injury lawsuit, from the filing of your claim and investigation of the facts through settlement or trial, if necessary. In our decades in practice, we have recovered hundreds of millions of dollars in verdicts and settlements for clients in Texas and nationwide. Contact us by e-mail or call our offices at one of the convenient locations listed below. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
