The car accident can shake you up, hurt you, and make you not know what has happened. After the shock subsides, most individuals begin to pose the same question – Was this just an accident, or did the other driver do something really dangerous? In case you are injured and need some answers or an Atlanta reckless driving accident lawyer, it would be good to know what reckless driving really is. Not all crashes come as a result of unlucky events or mere accidents. They occur due to the fact that one decided to drive recklessly endangering other people.
Being careless isn’t the same as reckless driving. It has got to do with taking unsafe decisions and disregarding the safety of other road users. There are seven typical indicators that you were involved in a crash in Atlanta due to reckless driving.
- Passing the Road Sign Intersection on the Rush Hour
One of the most evident types of reckless driving is speeding. It’s one thing to go a few miles over the limit, but it’s another to drive at a speed that’s way too fast to be in traffic or on the road.
High speed accidents are often serious in nature as drivers aren’t given time to act. Speed could have been a major contributor in case your crash was associated with heavy damage, long skid marks, or witnesses who claimed that the other driver was racing down the road.
- Aggressive or Angry Driving
Certain drivers allow their emotions to rule them as they drive. Aggressive driving is evidenced by tailgating, cutting other people off, weaving, shouting, as well as using hand gestures.
Road rage will put a person in a very unsafe condition within a short period. Having been angry, an individual will feel inclined to take risks and violate elementary safety regulations. Such a practice usually results in avoidable crashes.
- Distracted Driving: Not Light-hearted
Most of the population is informed that distracted driving is a harmful habit and some distractions aren’t as beneficial as the others. Sending text messages, recording videos, swiping the apps or even just being unresponsive to the road can take the line to recklessness.
The risk of an accident is higher when the driver wasn’t attentive, in traffic or at a fast speed.
- Stop Sign Running or Red Light Running
Disregarding traffic lights also constitutes a very good indicator of road rage. By ignoring red lights or running stoplights, all people are endangered more so when we are in intersections that are busy.
Such accidents tend to be unpredictable and the response is slow. Traffic cameras, judges and police testimonies help prove that a driver had violated traffic laws.
- Swerving or Losing Control Precrash
It may be an indicator of reckless driving in the case that a driver was swerving, moving in and out of lanes or losing control over his/her vehicle before the accident. This could be occasioned by haste, impairment, distraction, or exhaustion.
Such kind of driving is usually observed by the witnesses prior to a collision occurring. It proves that it wasn’t just a one-second mistake but carelessness.
- Departing the Scene or Suspicion of Dealing Subsequently
When drivers leave the scene of the accident or decline to cooperate with the police officers they frequently realize that they were indeed involved in reckless driving. Hit-and-run accidents are also frequent and they are usually associated with drivers attempting to escape liability.
Clearing the scene doesn’t only complicate the legal aspect, but it also has an influence on the injury claims. Such conduct can indicate that the driver was aware that he or she was on the wrong.
- Under the Influence
An obvious instance of careless conduct is driving whilst intoxicated or using drugs. Drivers with impairment have low reaction time, faulty judgment, and difficulty in controlling the vehicle.
This isn’t restricted to drugs or alcohol that are illegal. Driving ability may also be impacted by some prescription drugs. Impaired driver accidents are dangerous incidents that can cause severe injuries and sometimes impounding of criminal charges and injuries.
What is so Important about Reckless Driving When There’s a Crash?
The manner in which a case of an accident is handled can vary in case of reckless driving. There’s a tendency of insurance companies to minimize risky conduct in order to reduce the amount of compensation they must pay. It may be possible to prove that a driver was reckless and that may make the fault more visible.
There is also serious failure to care about other people in reckless driving. This can in other instances influence the kind of damages that can be offered particularly in cases where injuries are serious or persistent.
What You Can Do When You believe there is Reckless Driving
In case you believe that it was a result of reckless driving, you can use a few basic steps in order to save yourself:
- Seek medical assistance immediately.
- Contact the police to get a report.
- Take pictures of the scene and damage and road conditions.
- Request witnesses to provide their names and contacts.
- Watch your words when dealing with insurance companies.
The following steps will be helpful in terms of safeguarding valuable details when everything is still fresh.
Resolution: Knowing the Signs Can Make a Difference
In case you were hurt and think that reckless driving contributed, it is important to know what to do. To learn more about the way these cases are processed and their possible next stage, visit Bayuk Pratt website.