San Diego Criminal Lawyers Blog
If being a hothead while you were behind the wheel led to an arrest, you could be facing some serious charges. Now, more than ever, you need an experienced criminal defense attorney looking out for your rights.
What is Road Rage?
Road rage is displayed in many ways, none of which are acceptable under California law. Even an incident that does not result in injuries could land you in the slammer for as long as 90 days, in addition to some pretty hefty fines and impacts on your driving record and your ability to drive at all. Surely, misdemeanor reckless and aggressive driving charges are not worth it. Your anger, regardless of any provocations by other drivers, is your responsibility, and the repercussions of losing your temper may be more than you bargained for. What could get you into this kind of legal trouble? A number of aggressive behaviors could emerge into road rage, including;
- Speeding;
- Veering in and out of traffic lanes;
- Tailgating;
- Erratic driving;
- Intimidating other drivers ;
- Brake checking;
- Street racing;
- Refusing to let other motorists merge.
When Rage Leads to Harm
These actions are dangerous and can lead to accidents. Some other very serious examples of road rage—such as getting out of your vehicle to fight or displaying a gun, knife, bat, or another weapon—even the vehicle itself– to threaten motorists, can be even more frightening, and the outcomes can include serious physical harm or even death. The number of road rage events involving guns has escalated by nearly five times in the last decade in this state. Charges of assault with a deadly weapon, battery, vehicular manslaughter, or even murder could lead to felony charges, meaning you could face years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines.
Keep Your Cool
Without question, it can be difficult to remain calm when dealing with congested traffic, roadwork, discourteous drivers, and the ever-present Nevada heat. Even so, there are no winners in road rage incidents, so keeping your cool benefits you as much as others on the road. How can you manage it? Some tips include:
- Give yourself all the time you need to get where you’re headed. Time crunches make many people uneasy and more inclined to road rage;
- Give other drivers the benefit of the doubt if they cut you off or do something else irritating–— mistakes happen, and it is not personal;
- Show courtesy yourself so others do not react badly to your driving;
- If someone on the road is pushing your buttons, try to elude them by slowing down or staying out of their way. Hopefully, they will be out of sight shortly.