Santa Rosa Aggressive Driving Accidents

Car accidents don’t just happen because of careless mistakes. Acts of aggression - including speeding, tailgating, and weaving in and out of lanes of traffic - also contribute to countless crashes in Santa Rosa, California, every year. When you’re injured in a Santa Rosa aggressive driving accident, it’s important to enlist the help of an experienced litigator at Singleton Schreiber.

Our Santa Rosa car accident lawyers are nationally acclaimed legal advocates who’ve helped injury victims and families win billions in life-changing monetary awards. Backed by decades of experience, we’re local lawyers with national resources at our disposal, which means clients get consistent, personalized, effective legal representation every day.

The aggressive driver’s insurance company will fight your claim with every resource at its disposal. Don’t let them dictate the terms of your car accident case. Demand the financial accountability you deserve by enlisting the help of our award-winning legal team. Call our Santa Rosa personal injury attorneys today to set a time for your free case review.

How is Aggressive Driving Defined?

According to the American Automobile Association (AAA), aggressive driving occurs when a motorist intentionally disregards laws or safety while engaging in dangerous behaviors behind the wheel.

Some of the most common forms of aggressive driving include:

• Speeding
• Following too closely/tailgating
• Brake checking other drivers
• Cutting off other drivers in traffic
• Refusing to allow other drivers to merge into traffic
• Running red lights
• Driving between lanes of traffic
• Blinding an oncoming motorist with brights

Aggressive driving, which is often accompanied by road rage, is a very common problem. In fact, 82 percent of motorists surveyed admitted to having driven aggressively in the past year.

How Common is Aggressive Driving in Santa Rosa, CA?

In 2023, 516 traffic accidents were reported in the city of Santa Rosa, California. Based on state crash data, at least 49 percent of these accidents involved aggressive drivers.

Speeding, on its own, contributed to more than 32 percent of Santa Rosa’s auto accidents that year, while unsafe lane changes (3.6 percent), tailgating (1.2 percent), and improper turns (10 percent) were also significant factors in these collisions.

How Can I Get Compensation If I’m Injured Because of an Aggressive Driver in Santa Rosa?

Aggressive driving tactics are a blatant violation of the duty of care motorists assume when they get behind the wheel in Santa Rosa, California. When aggressive tendencies cause an accident, the aggressive driver can be considered negligent and, by extension, liable for resulting damages.

In California, insurance is the primary source of compensation for car accident damages. The state requires all motorists to maintain minimum levels of insurance on their vehicles. These policies are designed to absorb the costs of medical bills, lost wages, rehabilitation, and suffering that result from a crash.

Under the state’s at-fault insurance system, you’ll have the right to file a claim with the aggressive driver’s insurance company. If you can prove the driver was negligent (through their aggressive driving behaviors), you can recover benefits up to the driver’s policy limits. Beginning in 2025, this means you can receive up to $30,000 for bodily injury damages and up to $15,000 to cover the costs of repairing or replacing property damage, if the at-fault driver only has the minimum policy limits required by law.

What if your injuries are catastrophic and your damages are greater than what the aggressive driver’s insurance company will pay? In these situations, you’ll be able to file a civil personal injury lawsuit to hold the aggressive driver personally responsible for their actions.

This can help you recover additional compensation for your:

• Medical expenses related to hospitalization, medical equipment, medication, and ongoing treatment
• Rehabilitation and nursing care
• Disability and lost wages
• Reduced earning capacity
• Property damage
• Pain and suffering
• Disfigurement and scarring
• Reduced quality of life
• Inconvenience
• Post-traumatic stress disorder

Punitive damages might also be available if your aggressive driving accident lawsuit goes to trial and there’s compelling evidence to show that the defendant’s actions were intentional or that they displayed a conscious disregard for your safety.

Our California car accident lawyers in Santa Rosa will explore and exhaust your legal options, doing our best to make sure that you’re compensated in full for the damages caused by the aggressive driver.

What Types of Accidents Are Caused By Aggressive Drivers?

Aggressive drivers throw caution to the wind, creating dangerous situations when they make risky maneuvers on the road.

Some of the most common types of accidents that result include:

• Rear-end collisions: Drivers who tailgate have less time and space to come to a complete stop when there’s a change in traffic movement, making it more likely that they’ll crash into the vehicle in front of them.
• Head-on collisions: An aggressive driver might attempt to pass another vehicle by driving on the wrong side of the road, which can set the stage for a violent head-on crash.
• T-Bone accidents: T-bone collisions are common when a motorist speeds through an intersection, often to “beat” the light, and collides with a vehicle traveling on the perpendicular route
• Sideswipes: Aggressive motorists may sideswipe other vehicles if they attempt to pass them improperly or while speeding.

No matter the type of accident that unfolds, those involved can suffer serious physical injuries, including nerve damage, crush injuries, traumatic brain injuries, spinal cord injuries, severe burns, broken bones, and even wrongful death.

Singleton Schreiber Can Help You Maximize Your Recovery After an Aggressive Driving Accident in Santa Rosa

Once you’ve been involved in an accident with an aggressive driver in Santa Rosa, you’ll have up to two years to file an insurance claim or lawsuit for damages. If the statute of limitations runs out before you act, the aggressive driver will walk away without consequence.

Don’t hesitate to call Singleton Schreiber for help as soon as you can after your Santa Rosa aggressive driving accident. You’ll work with local lawyers who genuinely care about your future and benefit from our law firm’s national resources. This combination gives you the best shot at recovering from your injuries and maximizing your financial award.

We’ve helped injury victims win billions. Now, we’re ready to fight for you, too. Contact our Santa Rosa, CA, law office today to get started with a free consultation.