San Diego Aggressive Driving Accidents

California ranks number 1 in the nation for aggressive driving behaviors like tailgating, speeding, weaving in and out of lanes, and brake checks. While aggressive drivers are everywhere in the state, few places rival the aggressive driving tendencies seen in San Diego. In fact, San Diego is the 6th worst city in the nation for aggressive driving.

Not surprisingly, aggressive driving is a primary cause of serious traffic accidents in San Diego, California. If you’ve been injured in a San Diego aggressive driving accident, it’s important to explore your legal rights by calling Singleton Schreiber.

As award-winning San Diego car accident lawyers with decades of combined experience, we’ve taken on aggressive drivers, powerful insurance companies, and other formidable opponents and recovered more than $2.5 Billion in damages for our clients.

Now, we’re here to help you demand accountability after an accident caused by an aggressive driver. Contact our law office in San Diego to speak with a member of our top-rated legal team today. There's no charge for an initial case evaluation.

What is Aggressive Driving?

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), aggressive driving is defined as “the operation of a motor vehicle in a manner which endangers or is likely to endanger persons or property.”

Put another way, aggressive driving can be broadly defined as purposefully reckless acts behind the wheel of a car, including but not limited to:

• Speeding
• Tailgating
• Unnecessary braking or “brake checks”
• Lane splitting
• Cutting off other vehicles when passing
• Refusing to yield the right of way
• Refusing to allow a vehicle to merge into traffic
• Running red lights
• Changing lanes of traffic without signaling

Aggressive driving is often linked to road rage, which is broadly defined as aggressive or angry motorist behavior. Road rage might involve honking the horn unnecessarily, making obscene hand gestures at other motorists, cursing at other drivers, or engaging in aggressive driving behaviors at the wheel. 

Aggressive driving and road rage often manifest when drivers are:

• Frustrated by the actions of other motorists on the road
• Attempting to make up for lost time after leaving late or getting stuck in traffic
• Agitated by external factors but lacking an appropriate outlet to work through them

No matter why a driver is experiencing road rage or being aggressive at the wheel, the behavior is dangerous and a blatant violation of their duty to exercise caution. When an aggressive driver causes a car accident in San Diego, they can be liable for resulting damages - including a victim’s medical bills, lost wages, property damage, out-of-pocket expenses, and more difficult-to-value pain and suffering.

How Common Does Aggressive Driving Contribute to Car Accidents in San Diego, CA?

According to state crash data published by the California Office of Traffic Safety, there were 5,743 car accidents across the city of San Diego in 2023.

Aggressive driving behaviors contributed to roughly three-quarters of these motor vehicle accidents.

The most common and dangerous aggressive driving behaviors included:

• Speeding contributed to 1,790 auto accidents and accounted for 31.5 percent of all collisions

• Improper turns caused 1,140 traffic accidents and accounted for 20 percent of the city’s wrecks

• Unsafe lane changes led to 301 car crashes and accounted for 5.3 percent of all accidents

• Tailgating was a factor in 168 traffic accidents and accounted for 2.9 percent of San Diego crashes

In 2023, San Diego’s aggressive driving accidents caused injuries to 5,802 people and contributed to at least 49 fatalities - all of which could have likely been avoided if the drivers had driven with appropriate caution.

What Evidence Can Help Me Win a Lawsuit Against an Aggressive Driver?

When you’ve been injured or experienced the wrongful death of a family member because of an aggressive driver in San Diego, you’ll have the right to take legal action and demand compensation for resulting damages.

Since California is a fault-based state, you can submit a claim with the aggressive driver’s insurance company and receive benefits up to their policy limits. However, if the aggressive driver only bought the minimum insurance levels required by the state, there’s a good chance that your damages will exceed what the insurance company will pay - especially if your injuries are catastrophic.

In these situations, you can initiate a lawsuit to hold the aggressive driver personally responsible for the consequences of their actions.

Whether you file a claim with insurance or seek damages in a personal injury lawsuit, you’ll typically need to prove that the aggressive driver was negligent. California law requires that you prove your claim by a preponderance of the evidence. So, you’ll need strong evidence to back your case.

Evidence that can be helpful in proving your case against an aggressive driver can include:

• Eyewitness testimony
• Property damage
• Video footage from dash cams, red lights, store surveillance cameras, or cell phones
• Medical records
• Forensics reports
• Expert testimony from forensic specialists, accident reconstructionists, medical professionals, and other professionals

Don’t stress about how to get compelling evidence or how to win your car accident claim. Focus on your recovery by trusting an experienced California car accident lawyer in San Diego to handle your fight for compensation for you.

Victims of Aggressive Driving Accidents in San Diego Trust Singleton Schreiber

Your choice of legal representative matters. Make the most of your fight for compensation by trusting Singleton Schreiber.

We’re the choice of accident victims and families in San Diego because we offer professional, reliable, honest representation that consistently yields results. Clients work with local lawyers backed by national resources, which sets the stage for personalized care and top-tier case results.

Ask for our help and we’ll go above and beyond to make sure that the aggressive driver who caused your accident is held fully accountable for the considerable harm they’ve caused. We’ve helped clients win billions, and now we’re ready to fight to get the compensation you deserve, too.

Your first case evaluation is free, so do not hesitate to contact our San Diego law office to speak with our legal team today.