Will My Insurance Policy Cover an Auto Accident Caused by Road Rage?

When a driver becomes angry or frustrated because they are late for work, stuck behind a slow driver, and/or are caught up in traffic, they might begin to display behavior that would be classified as road rage. But, a driver who engages in road rage should be aware of a few different things:

1. Driving aggressively can lead to an accident that could cause harm to you and the others involved.
2. If you cause an accident that stems from road rage, your insurance company may not cover your claim or the claim filed by the other driver. According to the Insurance Information Institute, “road rage is listed as an exemption in many auto insurance policies. This is because any damage or liability stemming from aggressive driving isn’t considered an accident but rather as having been caused by risky behavior.” This means you would be held liable for providing the compensation to cover repairs and possibly even medical bills.

So, rather than run into having an insurance claim denied for an accident you caused, it is best to avoid getting upset to the point where you take your frustrations out while operating your vehicle. Some tips the III recommends you do if you are someone who gets upset frequently while driving include:

• Give yourself ample time to get to where you need to go. When you’re in a hurry, your patience begins to run short and you are much more likely to become irritated.

• Remember, the other drivers around you aren’t purposely trying to annoy you. While some individuals make honest mistakes such as cutting in front of you without realizing it, others drive at a slower rate of speed for various reasons. Sometimes, people have a harder time seeing or they may be lost which is why they have chosen to go slower.
  
• Avoid using hand, or single finger gestures, other than to signal to another driver that you would like to get into their lane or that you are allowing them to enter into yours.

• Never tailgate motorists who are driving slower than you. The fact is, you never know when the car in front of you is going to come to an abrupt stop or the traffic ahead is going to slow. So, by you riding too closely just to prove a point only puts you at a higher risk of rear-ending the car in front. And in most cases, if you hit a vehicle from behind, you will be held accountable for the rear-end car accident.
  
• Don’t honk your horn insistently. The III says that “while it might make you feel better to express your frustration in a traffic jam, it won’t make anyone go any faster, it’s annoying to other drivers and passengers and it increases everyone’s stress level, which may lead to more aggressive behavior.”

• Never attempt to confront another driver. You never know what someone else is going through or how they will react to you trying to confront them. A situation such as this could put you in danger.

Now, if you have been involved in a wreck with an aggressive driver who engaged in road rage and would like to learn how you can hold them accountable for the damage and/or injuries they caused, contact the Hammond, IN car accident attorneys at Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, PC. We understand how frustrating this time may be for you and in an effort to help reduce your level of stress, we suggest you allow one of our reputable attorneys to step in and assist you with collecting the compensation you need, whether it is to cover medical expenses or vehicle repairs.

To get an initial consultation scheduled to discuss your accident case in depth, visit or call Marshall P. Whalley & Associates, PC at:

51 W. 112^th Avenue
Crown Point, IN 46307
Phone-219-769-2900
Toll Free-855-442-7211
Fax- 219-769-2995