Road Rage
Road rage, a driver’s unbridled anger often provoked by another driver’s driving style, is becoming a major problem on U.S. interstates, highways, and roads. Most road rage instances are unnerving and unsettling but do not cause injury; however, some road rage instances cause major damage, injury, or death.
In Michigan, 69-year-old Martin Zale was charged with second degree murder and sentenced to between fifteen and fifty years in prison for losing control due to road rage. He shot and killed Derek Flemming, a 43-year-old father of two, with a nine millimeter handgun. The incident occurred after Flemming approached Zale’s pickup truck. Zale repeatedly told the judge that he shot Flemming in self-defense. Zale asserted that Flemming threatened his life after they stopped at an intersection and that it was “kill or be killed.” Zale’s argument fell on deaf ears.
As a result of Zale’s road rage, Flemming’s wife is a widow, and his two children lost their father. Zale must wait at least 27 years, or when he is 96 years old, before becoming eligible for parole. Zale should have waited and cooled-off before shooting Flemming or just drove away. He did not.
If you encounter road rage, remember this: You cannot control how another driver behaves on the road, but you can control how you behave on the road. How you act on the road likely determines what happens on the road. If you can stay calm and keep your cool, you may be able to prevent a potential accident or burst of road rage from happening.
In addition, if you experience road rage, evaluate and consider changing your driving style. If you drive aggressively, tailgate behind other vehicles, honk your horn, flash your headlights, abruptly switch lanes, or make gestures to your fellow drivers, you may inadvertently provoke another driver to lose control and take action against you. Changing your driving style is not easy, but think, study, and practice safer ways of driving. Or, if your driving style involves driving below the speed limit, neglecting to use turn signals, decelerating long before reaching the highway exits, accelerating at irregular intervals, or hogging lanes, your driving style may anger your fellow drivers, and you may be the target of road rage.
Remember: The road is not yours alone. You share it with other drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians. Drive considerately; it is better for everyone.
If road rage causes a wreck, and you have suffered any damage, injury, or loss to your person, vehicle, or other property, there may legal remedies available to you. Remember: Some road rage instances also can result in your being charged with a crime, and you may land in jail. For more information or to have questions answered, contact Nashville Attorney Perry A. Craft.
Perry A. Craft has dedicated his life to helping people in need. He has tried, settled, or resolved numerous civil and criminal cases in State and Federal courts, and has represented teachers and administrators before school boards, administrative judges, and the state Board of Education. Learn more about Attorney Craft.