Aggressive driving has become increasingly common in Mobile and Baldwin Counties. It may surprise you to learn that over half of all accidents in the area are caused by aggressive driving. Yes, more than half.
Here at the office, I see two significant factors coming together – road rage and unsafe maneuvering.
First, let’s deal with rage. If you see someone acting erratically on the highway, just back off and let the driver get on down the road. Doing this is not a threat to your masculinity or constitutional rights. It is the other driver acting crazy, and you don’t have to be a genius to know to get away from crazy. To avoid this behavior, don’t tailgate, avoid making eye contact, and like I said, let the aggressive driver pass.
Second, let’s deal with unsafe maneuvering. This action is getting worse, especially on the interstate. More and more accidents are happening because of lane changes, lack of direction indicator use, and not keeping a safe distance between vehicles. A friend of mine told me about seeing a car on I-10 literally cross 3 lanes of heavy traffic without warning to get to an off-ramp. He said the sound of brakes squealing was downright frightening.
Let me give you this one piece of legal information. In Alabama, vehicles already in the lane have the right of way. That means if you are in an accident while changing lanes, you are almost always at fault.
Driving around is not a video game in which, after a crash, everything resets with no permanent damage. You are literally in control of about a ton of metal moving incredibly fast. Here is a cautionary reminder – take that responsibility seriously.
If you or a loved one is injured in a personal injury accident, you can talk to us at the law firm of Steele Ritchie for free. We genuinely want to help. We are local attorneys with decades of experience helping people, especially in the southwest Mobile area.
Give us a call at (251) 666-1212. We are proud to be called the “personal injury lawyers near me” by many people here in Mobile and Baldwin Counties.
Allen Ritchie