ACCIDENT VICTIM OF ROAD RAGE IN BRITISH COLUMBIA

First coined in 1988, the term “road rage” became common in the mid 90s. Many drivers have been subject to rude gestures or grimaces through a car window by a disgruntled driver. Road rage is not often mentioned by British Columbia authorities in an era of distracted driving, and which now promotes anger management classes. Yet an accident victim can be injured just as seriously by an enraged driver as by a distracted driver.

Aggressive driving is the polar opposite of appropriate driver conduct. Recently, police were called to the scene of a collision so forceful that the impact caused one vehicle to smash into and disable utility poles. Pinned inside the car, the occupant had to be extricated with care by emergency responders. What is troubling is that, according to authorities quoted on site, road rage seemed to play a role in this event.

If this is found to be the case, the laws governing aggressive driving in each province and territory will differ. The driver of the smashed-in vehicle was said to have suffered “relatively” minor injuries. No matter what the cause of the crash, the victim might ask: relative to what? As experienced personal injury lawyers know, so many car accidents involve injuries that require rehabilitative time, disrupting personal, family and workplace norms.

Beyond physical injury, there can be issues of threat to life and intimidation — both of which may produce lasting psychological harm. Quite apart from criminal endangerment, there may be cause for a civil action in British Columbia courts. Becoming an accident victim at the hands of a grudge-bearing driver may be one of the most nefarious causes of roadway harm. Securing legal counsel to help ascertain fault and quantify damages might be a valuable option to consider.

Source: castanet.net, “Road rage behind rollover?“, Jon Manchester, April 19, 2018