Road Rage Incident Hospitalizes Driver on the Far West Side

According to a KSAT News report, a 27-year-old man is in the hospital following a road rage shooting on the West Side last night.

Police reported the incident occurred on the Highway 151 access road near Hunt Lane at around 8:30 p.m. on December 10th. One driver reportedly cut off a red Dodge Charger when someone in the vehicle opened fire, hitting him multiple times. He drove off and sought help at a restaurant parking lot nearby, where he called the police. Police searched for the driver but had not found him as of yesterday. The victim was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries to his lower torso.

Did You Know?

44% of individuals surveyed reported road rage to be the most critical threat on our roads.

Road Rage: How to Avoid Aggressive Drivers in San Antonio

Texas is a big state with a lot of drivers and a lot of traffic — it makes sense why we would rank among the top 10 states in the nation for aggressive drivers.

Road rage isn’t a legal term. You won’t get a ticket for road rage or be prosecuted for it. Rather, it is the actions that follow the swelling of uncontrolled aggression that get other drivers hurt.

To understand how to avoid an aggressive driver, you first need to understand why road rage happens in the first place.

Why Do People Get Road Rage?

In a study conducted by the American Psychological Association, people who experienced road rage were similar to each other in 5 key ways:

1. They Think Aggressively — They were far more likely than others to express anger or disbelief at the actions of another driver.
2. They Are Risk-Takers — They generally speed and engage in aggressive driving as a regular pattern, not just when angry.
3. They Get Angry Quickly — Their expressed anger usually builds more quickly than others.
4. They Frequently Get in Accidents — They report more speeding tickets and accidents than others.
5. They Exhibit Anger, Anxiety, and Impulsiveness — They are more likely to outwardly express feelings of anger than others.

Everyday life naturally builds stress, which is perfectly normal. But these drivers become out of control and impulsively take out their anger on the drivers around them, forgetting their duty to look out for the safety of others on the road.

How to Avoid an Aggressive Driver

When dealing with an aggressive driver, the best thing to do is disengage. Confrontation with an out-of-control driver will only put you at risk. Instead, follow these steps:

• Avoid Eye-Contact
• Avoid Rude Gestures
• Stay Calm
• Move Out of the Way
• Drive Responsibly

Most of the time, if you follow good driving practices, aggressive drivers will leave you alone. But, if you are pursued, drive to the nearest police station or call the police. Don’t ever try to deal with the aggressive driver yourself.

This time of year can be incredibly stressful, increasing the risk of experiencing road rage. If an aggressive driver in San Antonio injures you, we can help.

Injured by an Aggressive Driver? Call Carabin Shaw

Our law firm has represented those injured in road rage accidents in San Antonio for 30 years, and we put our clients first. If an aggressive driver injures you or your family this holiday season, call the team who cares at 800-862-1260 and get your case evaluated for free. We look forward to serving you.

Contacting a Carabin Shaw attorney is free and does not obligate you to work with the firm.

¹KSAT News Report

²APA Study

³Road Rage by State