There’s no excuse for road rage. This senseless behavior of anger out of control is dangerous for drivers, pedestrians and anyone else we share the road with. Drivers with anger problems need to do everything they can — and get psychological help when needed — in order to prevent their reckless emotions from hurting the fellow citizens with whom they share the road.
In a recent road-rage incident, the angry driver of a Porsche hit a 14-year-old pedestrian in Brooklyn. The accident happened last Sunday night. After the man hit the boy, rather than helping the teenager, he yelled and screamed at another motorist involved in the incident. Meanwhile, the teen was left to moan in pain without any assistance.
The crash happened a little after 6 p.m. on Sunday. The teenager had been standing on a street corner minding his business and playing a video game. The accident happened as a Honda was coming out of a parking area, while the white Porsche was waiting behind the Honda. A third driver struck the Porsche, and the Porsche driver erupted into road rage and tried to force his way around the Accord. The Accord, however, struck the Porsche. The Porsche lost control, drove onto the sidewalk and struck the teen. According to witnesses, the teen went flying through the air. Fortunately, the teenager survived, but he suffered serious injuries that required hospital treatment.
Generally, New York pedestrians who are not violating the law will have strong claims for financial restitution in cases where they are struck by a negligent or reckless driver. The behavior of a driver, who causes a road rage accident, will certainly be taken into account by the courts in these circumstances — and it will likely serve to bolster the inured plaintiff’s damage claims.
Source: New York Daily News, “Road-rage driver hits boy, 14, on Brooklyn sidewalk,” Rikki Reyna, Jan. 22, 2017